Steam Patents (Class 38/85)
  • Patent number: 8375610
    Abstract: A handheld telescopic ironing device for pressing clothing, fabric and the like comprising two handles joined at the distal end with a pivotal hinge, each handle comprised of an elongated hollow outer handle housing and at least one elongated hollow inner handle housing concentrically aligned and telescopically mounted within outer handle housing with a locking means to hold the with inner handle housing and outer handle housing at extended or contracted lengths. Attached to the two handles are heads each having a pressing surface mounted on a hollow head housing so that the two pressing surfaces oppose each other. The telescopic ironing device is further comprised of at least one heating element disposed within one or more of internal cavities of the head housing and has an optional steam feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Inventor: Patti Bearley
  • Publication number: 20080189993
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling the temperature of a soleplate of an iron, the method having the following steps: energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate, wherein heat energy is transferred from the heater element to the soleplate; and heating the soleplate from 60° C. to a temperature of greater than 100° C. in less than 45 seconds. A method and device for controlling an iron, the method having the following steps: setting a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature; and setting a steam boiler of the iron to a second temperature, wherein the first and second temperatures are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: Luis Cavada
  • Patent number: 6622938
    Abstract: A displaceable nozzle (8) of an injection steam generator for small appliances, particularly irons or ironing stations, comprising a steam chamber (3) inside a steam generator housing (1) provided with an injection opening (5), is positioned telescopically on a fixed member to define a nozzle chamber (10). This nozzle (8) can be displaced by an inside pressure in the nozzle chamber in a first pressure range in the direction of the injection opening (5) and can be moved back from the injection opening (5) by a restoring force e.g., a restoring spring (12), wherein the inside pressure in the nozzle chamber (10) is lower in second pressure range than in the first pressure range. A drain passage (18) for the nozzle chamber 10 is connected via a valve arrangement (19, 21) to the fixed member (11), so that excess residual water, which exits when the nozzle (18) is moved back from the nozzle chamber (10), does not cause calcification of the nozzle opening (9) and the injection opening (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Eugster/Frismag AG
    Inventors: Daniel Fischer, Mischa Stieger
  • Publication number: 20020157288
    Abstract: A steamer arrangement comprising a cordless steaming device (101) and a stand (1) for holding the steaming device, said steaming device having a water tank (103), said stand having an electrically heated boiler (3), said steaming device and said stand being provided with mechanical coupling means (13, 105) including valves (15, 107) for coupling the water tank (103) of the steaming device to the boiler (3) of the stand for obtaining a fluid communication between the boiler and the water tank when the steaming device is attached to the stand. When the steaming device is attached to the stand, steam flows from the boiler to the water tank, resulting in high-pressure/temperature steam in the water tank. Detached from the stand the cordless steaming device can be used directly for steaming. The cordless steaming device may be a cordless iron with the soleplate heated electrically, while simultaneously steam is charged when the iron is placed on the stand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Mohankumar Krishnan Valiyambath
  • Patent number: 5883358
    Abstract: An electric steam iron for pressing fabrics, which iron includes an ironing sole plate, an electrically operated heating element disposed for heating the sole plate by converting an electric current to heat, and a switch unit for automatically reducing flow of electric current to the heating element when the iron is not in use. The sole plate is formed to have a low heat capacity, and the iron is further provided with a stiffening structure via which the sole plate is fixed in position in the iron, the stiffening structure being permeable to steam and being made of a thermally insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Brandolini, Jean-Pierre Debourg
  • Patent number: 5675919
    Abstract: A flexible drain tube for exhausting drains from an iron main body is inserted into a flexible steam tube for sending steam into the iron main body in order to form one flexible connection tube. The flexible steam tube of the flexible connection tube connects a fixed steam pipe and a steam chest of the iron main body, and the flexible drain tube of the flexible connection tube connects a fixed drain pipe and the steam chest of the iron main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Naomoto Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Isoji Yao
  • Patent number: 4995177
    Abstract: A steam-iron sole-plate comprises a first plate constituting the sole-plate proper and provided with a roll-bonded layer of brazing alloy, a second plate constituting the steam chamber and provided with a roll-bonded layer of brazing alloy and a flat resistance heating element inserted between the two plates and separated from these latter by insulating layers. The two plates are assembled together by means of a fluid-tight peripheral brazed joint and a series of brazed joints at the level of bosses formed on the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Louison, Camille Burton
  • Patent number: 4688340
    Abstract: A travel iron has a hollow handle defining a liquid reservoir which is pivotally mounted for movement between operative and stored positions. The handle is releasably secured in the operative position by a sliding latch. A conduit supplies liquid from the reservoir to the soleplate. A manually operated valve and a gravity operated valve control fluid flow through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Ostrelich
  • Patent number: 4196340
    Abstract: A lightweight plastic electrolytic steam iron has a soleplate with steam distributing means therefrom and a casing of electrically non-conducting material forming the walls of an internal water tank coextensive with and extending over the soleplate. Spaced electrodes are supported in the rear of the tank to generate steam from the water therein and an insulated steam conduit extends from the soleplate upwardly into the tank to direct saturated steam from the tank through the steam distributing means to the surface being ironed. To this general combination, an improvement for minimizing condensation of moisture on the soleplate adds a thin chamber disposed between the tank and the soleplate and parallel and coextensive with them to separate the tank and soleplate over substantially their entire facing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ross M. Evans, Jr., Donald J. Siebold
  • Patent number: 4190762
    Abstract: A lightweight plastic electrolytic steam iron has a soleplate with steam distributing means therefrom and a casing of electrically non-conducting material forming the walls of an internal water tank coextensive with and extending over the soleplate. Spaced electrodes are supported in the tank to generate steam from the water therein and an insulated steam conduit extends from the soleplate upwardly into the tank to direct saturated steam from the tank through the steam distributing means to the surface being ironed. The spaced electrodes comprise a pair of adjacent parallel electrode plates disposed in the tank and spaced from the tank walls and from each other with the plates generally being vertical to the soleplate of the iron. A structure is connected to control the spacing between the plates from the iron handle and separate spaced stop posts are provided to limit movement of each plate to avoid contact therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Romeo S. Santiago, Llewellyn Decker