CORDLESS IRON WITH INCORPORATED BOILER

DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns cordless irons, which for heating of the soleplate and the production of steam are electrically connected for a certain period of time to a base connected via a cable to the electricity supply and are then removed from the base ready for ironing clothes.

Cordless irons have the advantage of being more convenient to use than traditional irons because once they have been removed from the base, there are no cords connected to them that can get in the way of the user's operations during ironing of the clothes.

On the other hand, the cordless irons currently on the market have the disadvantage of having a very limited autonomy in terms of steam emission and heating of the plate which entails very frequent repositioning on the base, otherwise the iron cools down.

This drawback is due to the fact that the boiler for production of the steam is located in the base and not on the iron and this drawback is compounded by the fact that often the electrical connection between the iron and the base is not particularly straightforward.

The invention aims to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing the boiler on board the iron so as to guarantee a greater quantity of available steam and therefore greater autonomy during the ironing phase.

Furthermore, the invention provides a sliding support system between the iron and the base which facilitates correct repositioning of the iron on the base and connection of the electrical contacts of the iron-base components.

Further characteristics of the invention and the advantages deriving from them will become clearer from the following description with reference to the figures of the three accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a lateral elevation view with parts in section of the iron positioned on the recharging base;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base with the iron soleplate support wheels that facilitate the electrical connection between the iron and the base;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view from the bottom of the iron, illustrating in particular a sliding and guide seat for a central wheel of the base and the rear electrical contacts.

In the figures, B indicates the supporting base of the iron F provided with an upper surface 1 inclined with an appropriate gradient, for example approximately 20°, towards the rear end of the base.

On said surface 1 three idle wheels are applied which have their axes of rotation in a position orthogonal to the upper wall of the surface and which project a short way beyond said surface.

A first wheel 2 is located in a central position in the front area of the surface 1 , while a further two wheels 102, aligned with each other, are positioned at a certain distance from the wheel 2 in the central-rear area of the surface, so that the three wheels are arranged at the vertexes of an isosceles triangle.

In the solution illustrated in the drawings, the supporting pins 3 of the idle wheels 2, 102 are blocked on the surface 1 by a plate 101 which is slotted inside a respective seat 201 provided on the surface; said plate is provided with projections 301 which are hollow inside to house the upper section of the pins, the latter being sustained at the bottom by appropriate seats (not illustrated) obtained under the surface 1 .

It is understood that the idle wheels 2, 102 can be applied on the surface 1 also by means of fastening systems different from the one described above and which can be easily produced by persons skilled in the art.

The base B is provided at the rear, in the joining area joining the surface 1 to a raised portion 4 which acts as a stroke end for the iron F once it is resting on the base and which carries a block 5 containing electrical contacts connected by means of a cable (not illustrated) to the electrical supply and useful for the purposes described further on. The iron F is provided internally with a boiler 6 sealingly connected exchanging heat with the soleplate 7 of the iron. The water necessary for production of the steam is supplied to the inside of the boiler 6, through an inlet closed by a plug 8.

A button 9 is provided on the iron F for the activation of known means present inside the boiler 6 and useful for activating delivery of the steam through the holes 10 provided on the plate.

The presence of the boiler 6 inside the iron according to the invention guarantees a production of pressurized steam and a greater quantity in respect to the cordless irons currently on the market, which have the boiler inside the iron supporting base.

This means that the iron F, once disconnected from the base B, guarantees an ironing operation which can last for a few minutes, whereas in the cordless irons of known type said ironing phase lasts 20 to 30 seconds, obliging the user to frequently reposition the iron on the recharging base.

The plate 7 of the iron according to the invention is provided at the bottom and in a central position with a longitudinal groove 1 1 in which the front wheel 2 is inserted when the iron is positioned on the base B and which acts as a guide for sliding of the iron on the base B, while the wheels 102 guarantee the support of the rear area of the plate 7 so as to allow a movement of the iron parallel to the surface 1 of the base B.

Said guided sliding movement enables electrical contacts 12 present in the rear area of the iron F to easily couple with complementary electrical contacts present on the block 5 of the base B.

Due to the fact that the boiler 6 is inside the iron F, the latter is heavier than the cordless irons on the market and this facilitates the downward sliding of the iron on the wheels 2, 102 of the base, therefore also facilitating the electrical connection between the components 5 and 12.

Said connection 5-12, by means of appropriate activation controls (not illustrated) allows the supply of electrical current through the electrical resistance 13 which provides heating of the plate 7 and the production of steam inside the boiler 6. The same electrical connection 5-12 allows the recharge of a battery positioned inside a compartment 14 present in the rear area of the iron and useful for guaranteeing operation and transmission of the signals between the electrical components of the iron and those present on the base B for control of the operating temperature and for light or sound signals, for example relative to a minimum water level in the boiler.

The iron F is furthermore provided with rear projections 15 so that, if necessary, the user can rest the iron in the vertical position on a flat surface.

It is understood that all variations and modifications that achieve equal utility and that do not depart from the innovative concept as described above and as claimed below in the attached claims can be made to the iron according to the invention.