STEAM IRON

Abstract

A steam iron is described. The steam iron includes a housing, a handle defined at an upper portion of the housing, a soleplate carried on a base portion of the housing, a heating assembly carried in the housing and in thermal communication with the soleplate, a spray outlet, a water reservoir defined in the housing, and a pump assembly. The pump assembly includes a first mechanical pump which is manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a shot of steam from the soleplate, and a second mechanical pump manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a spray of water from the spray outlet. The steam iron also includes an underhandle trigger for manually operating one of the first and second mechanical pumps, the underhandle trigger being located beneath the handle, and an upper trigger for manually operating the other of the first and second mechanical pumps, the upper trigger being located in an upper portion of the iron housing.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present patent application claims the priority benefit of the filing date of Australian Patent Application No. 2009901617, filed Apr. 15, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to steam irons, and more particularly to stand-alone electric steam irons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of steam irons for ironing clothes and suchlike are known.

One broad category of steam irons includes so-called “steam station” irons. Steam station irons include an iron unit connected to a separate steam station. The iron unit includes a heating element located adjacent to a soleplate for ironing clothes and other laundry. The steam station includes a water reservoir which stores and heats water and delivers water to the iron unit for use in ironing (e.g. as steam or a water spray).

Another broad category of irons includes stand-alone irons. As with a steam station iron unit a stand alone iron includes a sole plate and heating element, however stand alone-irons also include their own on-board water reservoir which stores water for use during ironing.

Both steam station iron units and stand-alone irons may be provided with triggers for using the water during ironing. By way of example, two triggers may be provided—one for generating a shot of steam and one for generating a spray of water mist. These are normally located adjacent one another in a position that can readily accessed by a thumb of the user during ironing.

It would be desirable to provide an ergonomic iron which can be cost-effectively manufactured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the present invention provides a steam iron including: a housing; a handle defined at an upper portion of the housing; a soleplate carried on a base portion of the housing; a heating assembly carried in the housing and in thermal communication with the soleplate; a spray outlet; a water reservoir defined in the housing; a pump assembly, the pump assembly including a first mechanical pump which is manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a shot of steam from the soleplate, and a second mechanical pump manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a spray of water from the spray outlet; an underhandle trigger for manually operating one of the first and second mechanical pumps, the underhandle trigger being located beneath the handle; and an upper trigger for manually operating the other of the first and second mechanical pumps, the upper trigger being located in an upper portion of the iron housing.

The underhandle trigger may be operatively connected to the first mechanical pump for manually operating the first mechanical pump.

The upper trigger may be located at a front of the iron and is centrally located with respect to a width of the handle.

The upper trigger may substantially occupy a width of the handle.

The upper and underhandle triggers may be arranged such that when, in use, a user grips the handle with a hand a thumb of the user rests naturally on the upper trigger and a finger of the user rests naturally on the underhandle trigger.

The upper trigger may be slidingly mounted in the iron housing.

The underhandle trigger may be pivotally mounted in the iron housing.

The upper and underhandle triggers may be simultaneously operable by a thumb and forefinger of a user.

The first mechanical pump may include a first cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a first inlet, a first outlet conduit for delivering water to the soleplate, and a first piston operable to charge the first cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the first cylinder to the soleplate, and the second mechanical pump may include a second cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a second inlet and in fluid communication with the spray outlet via a second outlet, and a second piston operable to charge the second cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the second cylinder to the spray outlet.

The first and second cylinders may be located adjacent to one another and be defined by a unitary pump housing.

The upper trigger may include an upper piston actuator which transmits force applied to the upper trigger to one of the first piston and second piston. The underhandle trigger may include an underhandle piston actuator which transmits force applied to the underhandle trigger to the other of the first piston and second piston.

In a second aspect the present invention provides a pump assembly for a steam iron, the pump assembly including: a first mechanical pump which is manually operable to pump water from a reservoir and deliver a shot of steam from the iron, the first mechanical pump including a first cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a first inlet conduit, a first outlet conduit for delivering water to a soleplate of the iron, and a first piston operable to charge the first cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the first cylinder to the soleplate; a second mechanical pump manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a spray of water from the iron, the second mechanical pump including a second cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a second inlet conduit and in fluid communication with a spray outlet via a second outlet, and a second piston operable to charge the second cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the second cylinder to the spray outlet, and wherein the first and second cylinders are located adjacent one another and are defined by a unitary pump housing.

The first mechanical pump may be operably connected to an upper trigger of the iron and the second mechanical pump may be operably connected to an underhandle trigger of the iron.

Alternatively, the first mechanical pump may be operably connected to an underhandle trigger of the iron and the second mechanical pump may be operably connected to an upper trigger of the iron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an iron according an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 provides an exploded view of a pump assembly for use with the iron of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 provides a partial front perspective view of the iron of FIG. 1 with the pump assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 provides a partial rear perspective view of the iron of FIG. 1 with the pump assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 provides a sectional view of the iron of FIG. 1 with the pump assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 provides a partial elevation view of the pump assembly of FIG. 2 with the underhandle trigger at a rest position; and

FIG. 7 provides a partial elevation view of the pump assembly of FIG. 2 with the underhandle trigger at a depressed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a steam iron 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The iron 100 includes a housing 102 in an upper portion of which a handle 104 is defined. The base of the housing 102 carries a soleplate 104. The iron 100 also includes a spray outlet 106 in the form of a nozzle, an upper trigger 108 slidingly mounted in an upper portion of the housing 102, and an underhandle trigger 110 pivotally mounted to the housing 102 such that the underhandle trigger 110 is positioned beneath the handle 104. A dial 112 is also provided for controlling the operation of the iron.

The housing 102 of the iron also houses typical steam iron componentry as is known in the art. These various components may include (by way of non-exhaustive illustration): a heating assembly (e.g. heating element 103 partially shown in FIG. 5) which is in thermal communication with the soleplate 104; a power source for powering the iron, the power source being connectable to an external power supply such as a wall socket via an electrical lead 114; a water reservoir 116 for storing water to be used during ironing (e.g. as spray mist or in the production of steam); a controller such as a microprocessor for controlling the iron 100 in response to user input from the dial 112.

During ironing a user may control various operating parameters of the iron 100 (via the dial 112) such as the heat of the soleplate and whether constant steam is required to be delivered from the soleplate. The user may also manually operate the upper and underhandle triggers 108 and 110 to either deliver a shot of steam through the soleplate 104 or to spray water from the spray outlet 110 in the form of a spray mist used to assist in ironing. In the specific embodiment described below and illustrated, the upper trigger 108 is operable to deliver a shot of steam and the underhandle trigger 110 is operable to spray water. It will be appreciated, however, that the pump assembly 200 (as described below) may be alternatively arranged such that the upper trigger 108 is operable to spray water and the underhandle trigger 110 is operable to deliver a shot of steam.

The iron 100 further includes a pump assembly 200 manually operable by a user (via the upper and underhandle triggers 108 and 110) to provide the shot of steam and water spray. FIG. 2 provides an exploded view of the pump assembly 200, and FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 respectively show the assembled pump assembly 200 in front and rear partial perspective views and a sectional view of iron 100 with the housing 102 removed.

The pump assembly 200 includes a first mechanical pump 202 for use in delivering a shot of steam and a second mechanical pump 204 for spraying water. The first and second mechanical pumps 202 and 204 will be described in turn.

The first mechanical pump 202 includes a first pump cylinder 206 defined in a dual pump housing 208. A first pump biasing means 210 (in this case a coil spring) is received in the first pump cylinder 206, and the first pump cylinder 206 is sealed by a first pump piston 212 slidingly received therein.

The first pump cylinder 206 has a first pump inlet 214 in fluid communication with the water reservoir 116 via conduit 216, elbow 218, and conduit 220. As can be seen, conduit 220 extends to the rear of the iron 100 (or, more precisely, the rear of the water reservoir 116), allowing the first mechanical pump 202 to draw water from the reservoir when the iron 100 is held vertically and water pools in the rear section of the water reservoir 116.

The first pump cylinder 206 also includes a first pump outlet (obscured) in fluid communication with a first pump outlet conduit 222 via an elbow 224, conduit 226 and second elbow 228. The first pump outlet conduit 222 terminates in a chamber (not shown) where water delivered from the first pump outlet conduit 222 is boiled by the iron element to create steam, the steam then being directed out outlet apertures in the base of the soleplate 104.

The upper trigger 108 is provided with a shaft 230 which, in the present embodiment, bears on the first pump piston 212 and is arranged to reciprocate within the cylinder 206. When a user depresses the upper trigger 108 the shaft 230 urges the piston 212 in the first pump cylinder 206, discharging any water in the first pump cylinder 206 out the first pump outlet conduit 222 (via elbow 224, conduit 226 and elbow 228) to generate a shot of steam. When the upper trigger 108 is released the biasing means 210 acts against the first pump piston 212 to return the piston 212 and upper trigger 108 to their rest positions. The suction created by the return movement of the piston 212 in the first cylinder 206 draws up water from the reservoir 116 (via the first pump inlet conduit 216, elbow 220 and conduit 218) to charge the first pump cylinder 206.

The second mechanical pump 204 is operationally similar to the first mechanical pump 202. The second mechanical pump 204 includes a second pump cylinder 240 defined in the pump housing 208. A second pump biasing coil spring 242 is received in the second pump cylinder 240, and the second pump cylinder 206 sealed by a second pump piston 244 which is slidingly received therein.

The second pump cylinder 240 has a second cylinder inlet 246 in fluid communication with a second pump inlet conduit 248 which extends into the water reservoir 116 to draw water therefrom.

The second pump cylinder 240 also includes a second pump outlet (obscured) in fluid communication with the spray outlet 106 via an elbow 250. In this instance the spray outlet 106 includes an outlet nozzle 252, an outlet duct 254, an outlet atomiser 256, and an outlet cover 258. As can be seen, the spray outlet 106 is arranged such that water sprayed from the spray outlet is angled downwardly and outwardly of the iron 100 when the iron is in an ironing orientation (i.e. the soleplate 104 generally parallel to the ground).

The underhandle trigger 110 is provided with an underhandle trigger shaft 260 and an underhandle trigger actuator 262. As noted above, the underhandle trigger 110 is pivotally mounted in the iron housing 102 via the underhandle trigger shaft 260. When a user squeezes the underhandle trigger 110 (as shown in FIG. 7) the trigger 110 pivots about the shaft 206 causing the underhandle trigger actuator 262 to bear on a second pump cover 264 which in turn (and in this embodiment) bears on the second pump piston 244. This urges the piston 244 in the second pump cylinder 240, discharging any water in the second cylinder 240 out the spray outlet 106 (via elbow 250) to produce a mist spray. When the underhandle trigger 110 is released (as shown in FIG. 6) the second pump biasing means 242 acts against the second pump piston 244 and second pump cover 264 to return the piston 244, cover 264 and underhandle trigger 110 to their rest positions. The suction created by the return movement of the second pump piston 244 in the second cylinder 240 draws up water from the reservoir 116 (via the second pump inlet conduit 248) to charge the second pump cylinder 240.

As will be appreciated, modifying the above embodiment such that the underhandle trigger actuator 262 bears on the first pump piston 212 (and is thereby operable to deliver a steam shot) and the upper trigger shaft 230 bears on the second pump piston 244 (thereby operable to deliver a spray of water) is easily achieved simply by moving the relative locations of the underhandle trigger actuator 262 and the upper trigger shaft 230.

Returning to FIG. 1, when the iron 100 is being used the user grips the handle portion 104 in a pistol-type grip. The upper and underhandle triggers 108 and 110 are positioned such that when the iron 100 is so gripped the user's thumb naturally rests on the upper trigger 108 and the user's index finger naturally rests on the underhandle trigger 110. If desired a user may actuate both the under and upper triggers 108 and 110 simultaneously by both depressing their thumb and squeezing their index finger.

As can be seen, the upper trigger 108 is centrally located with respect to the width of the handle 104. This is ergonomically friendly as it allows a user to actuate the upper trigger 108 (to either deliver a shot of steam or a spray of water, depending on the configuration of the pump assembly 200) without having to vary their grip of the handle 104 or the angle of their thumb. This is in contrast to conventional irons which provide two buttons at the top of the iron, forcing the user to change their grip and/or the angle of their thumb to actuate one or the other of the buttons.

The upper trigger is also provided with a large surface area 118 for a user to press on with their thumb. By providing a large surface area 118 a user can efficiently transfer force to the pump. This is again in contrast to conventional irons which provide buttons with smaller surface areas making it more difficult to efficiently transfer force to a button.

The underhandle trigger 110 is also ergonomically shaped to allow for comfortable operation by a user and is provided with a relatively large surface area for efficient transfer of force from the trigger 110 to the pump.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. A steam iron including:

a housing;

a handle defined at an upper portion of the housing;

a soleplate carried on a base portion of the housing;

a heating assembly carried in the housing and in thermal communication with the soleplate;

a spray outlet;

a water reservoir defined in the housing;

a pump assembly, the pump assembly including a first mechanical pump which is manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a shot of steam from the soleplate, and a second mechanical pump manually operable to pump water from the reservoir and deliver a spray of water from the spray outlet;

an underhandle trigger for manually operating one of the first and second mechanical pumps, the underhandle trigger being located beneath the handle; and

an upper trigger for manually operating the other of the first and second mechanical pumps, the upper trigger being located in an upper portion of the iron housing.

2. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the underhandle trigger is operatively connected to the first mechanical pump for manually operating the first mechanical pump.

3. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the upper trigger is located at a front of the iron and is centrally located with respect to a width of the handle.

4. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the upper trigger substantially occupies a width of the handle.

5. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the upper and underhandle triggers are arranged such that when, in use, a user grips the handle with a hand a thumb of the user rests naturally on the upper trigger and a finger of the user rests naturally on the underhandle trigger.

6. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the upper trigger is slidingly mounted in the iron housing.

7. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the underhandle trigger is pivotally mounted in the iron housing.

8. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the upper and underhandle triggers are simultaneously operable by a thumb and forefinger of a user.

9. The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein

the first mechanical pump includes a first cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a first inlet, a first outlet conduit for delivering water to the soleplate, and a first piston operable to charge the first cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the first cylinder to the soleplate, and wherein

the second mechanical pump includes a second cylinder in fluid communication with the water reservoir via a second inlet and in fluid communication with the spray outlet via a second outlet, and a second piston operable to charge the second cylinder with water from the reservoir and discharge water from the second cylinder to the spray outlet.

10. The steam iron according to claim 9, wherein the first and second cylinders are located adjacent one another and are defined by a unitary pump housing.

11. The steam iron according to claim 10, wherein the upper trigger includes an upper piston actuator which transmits force applied to the upper trigger to one of the first piston and second piston, and wherein the underhandle trigger includes an underhandle piston actuator which transmits force applied to the underhandle trigger to the other of the first piston and second piston.