Background art Within the technical sector in question, the need to design easy-to-use and manageable ironing boards, so as to make ironing operations as simple as possible, is known.

In particular, when choosing a board, the user pays particular attention to features such as the ease of opening and transportation of the board and its stability during ironing. In fact, the greater the stability of the board, the smaller the probability of accidental movement or wobbling occurring, resulting in an increase in the ironing time and/or inaccurate ironing of the garment.

At the same time, the ironing board must be manageable so as to allow the user to move it, at will, according to his/her requirements. Generally, the ironing boards available on the market nowadays can vary their position between a working position with the legs splayed and a closed position with the legs retracted onto the ironing surface.

As is known, in order to assist the user during the ironing operations, ironing boards have recently been

increasingly equipped with accessories which allow faster and more efficient ironing. However, these same accessories increase the weight of ironing boards, making them difficult to move, particularly in the working position.

Disclosure of the invention A main object of the invention is therefore that of providing an improved ironing board which may be easily transported and which guarantees, at the same time, significant stability particularly in the operative working position.

A second object of the invention is that of making transportation of the board very simple, ensuring the manageability thereof.

A further object of the invention is that of allowing ironing operations to be carried out in a seated position.

Yet another object is that of designing an aesthetically pleasing ironing board.

These objects, together with others, which will emerge in the remainder of the description, are achieved in the form of an improved ironing board, which comprises an ironing surface and a support frame with at least one first and one second leg, each of which is provided with a top end hinged with the ironing surface and a bottom end intended to rest on the ground, the ironing board being

movable between a closed position with the legs retracted, and a working position with the legs splayed.

According to the invention, the board is characterized in that it also comprises displacement means for transporting the ironing board in the abovementioned working position, said displacement means being provided at the bottom end of at least one of the legs on a raised portion thereof, which is substantially directed in the opposite direction to the other leg, and being able to act in a sliding fashion on the ground as a result of an inclination imparted to the ironing board.

Brief description of the drawings The characteristic features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of an example of embodiment thereof illustrated, by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which : Figure 1 shows a perspective front view of an ironing board according to the invention arranged in a working position; Figure 2 is a perspective side view of the ironing board according to Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a perspective front view of the ironing board according to Fig. 1 in a closed position; Figure 4 is a perspective side view of an enlarged

detail of the ironing board according to a possible constructional variant, relating to a boiler support in an open position ; Figure 5 is a perspective side view of the support according to Figure 4 in a retracted position; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the support alone; Figure 7 is a perspective bottom view of a further enlarged detail of the ironing board, relating to means for securing the legs; Figures 8a, 8b show respectively a side view and an outer front view of a detail of the board according to Fig.

1, relating to displacement means arranged raised from the ground with the ironing board in the working position ; Figures 9a, 9b show respectively a side view and an inner front view of the displacement means according to Figs. 8a and 8b arranged resting on the ground.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment (s) With reference to the figures, an ironing board designed according to the present invention is denoted in its entirety by 1.

The ironing board 1 comprises an ironing surface 2, with a known form, on which two longitudinally opposite ends 3a, 3b are defined. The end 3a is also tapered and in particular has a shape with a rounded tip, while an electrical socket 40, to which a cable 39 for the electric

power supply may be connected, is fixed at the end 3b.

The board 1 also comprises a bridge-shaped support frame 4 made, for example, of chrome-plated steel and provided with two mutually spaced legs 5a, 5b which are provided with a top end 5a'and 5b'hinged with the ironing surface 2 and a bottom end 5a''and 5b''intended to rest on the ground. The distance between the two points where the two legs 5a, 5b are fastened to the surface 2 may be adjusted in a manner known per se by means, for example, of locking means 6 which are capable of controlling the relative movement of the legs 5a, 5b, locking them in the required position once the pre-chosen distance is reached.

Each of the legs 5a, 5b has a polygonal shape and is substantially formed by a tubular element folded into sections. When the board 1 is in a working position (Figs.

1 and 2), the legs 5a, 5b extend away from the ironing surface 2, while in a second closed position (Fig. 3) the legs 5a, 5b are substantially parallel to the surface 2.

As the two legs in many respects have the same form, hereinafter only one of said legs will initially be described, it being understood that the same structure may also be found in the leg which is not described.

According to Fig. 2, the leg 5b comprises two connecting sections lla, llb which are hinged in a specularly symmetrical manner with the opposite ends of a

top section 9 fastened to the ironing surface 2 and parallel thereto. Said connecting sections lla, llb comprise mutually parallel first portions 18a, 18b, respectively, and second portions 19a, 19b, respectively, which are mutually divergent in the direction away from the surface 2 (see also Figs. 8b, 9b) when the ironing board 1 is placed in the worlcing position. The second portions 19a, 19b are moreover connected to two opposite ends 10a, 10b of a bottom section 10, which is parallel to the top section 9 and greater in length than the latter, in order to increase the stability of the board 1.

In the region of the first portion 18a of the section lla and the first portion 18b of the section llb, the two legs 5a, 5b are connected together by means of two pairs of connecting rods 20,21 arranged in the form of a cross.

Each rod of the pair 20 is pivotably mounted, at its two longitudinally opposite ends, on the first portion 18a of leg 5a and on the first portion 18a of leg 5b, respectively (see Figure 1). Similarly, the rods of the pair 21 are pivotably mounted on the first portion 18b of the leg 5a and on the first portion 18b of the leg 5b. The rods of the two pairs 20,21 are therefore capable of rotating about axes which pass through the points where they are pivotably mounted on the legs 5a, 5b and which are substantially parallel to the ironing surface 2, so as to

allow the legs 5a, 5b to be moved towards or away from each other.

In accordance with the example shown in the attached drawings, if a plane passing through the axis of longitudinal symmetry of the ironing surface 2 and perpendicular to said ironing surface 2 is defined, each of the connecting sections lla, lib, and therefore each of the legs 5a, 5b, has a projection in said plane with a concavity C. Advantageously, for reasons of stability, the concavity C, defined by each of the legs 5a, 5b, is directed towards the tapered end 3a of the ironing surface 2. This novel configuration of the legs 5a, 5b allows the stability of the ironing board 1 to be increased.

In fact, by extending the front leg 5a forwards with the concavity C directed towards the end 3a, the resting point of the board on the ground in fact moves forwards.

Consequently, the stability of the board 1 is improved, especially during ironing, and thus when pressure is applied to the tapered end 3a of the surface 2. Moreover, as is known, from the end 3a, a long front section 70 of the surface 2 must remain free of obstructive restrictions due to the legs 5a, 5b, so as to allow all the necessary ironing operations to be carried out correctly. For example, said operations may envisage fitting the garments onto this section 70 so as to perform an optimum ironing

operation. Therefore, for operative reasons, it would not be possible to stabilise the ironing board 1 by simply moving forwards the point where the front leg 5a is fastened with the surface 2.

It should be noted that the forward-facing concavity C of the front leg 5a allows the space available for ironing operations below the abovementioned section 70 to be increased, therefore allowing optimum handling of the garments to be ironed.

The form-with a concavity C-of the rear leg 5b allows said leg to rest on the ground in a substantially vertical manner, increasing the supporting surface area.

Moreover, the legs 5a, 5b each comprise reinforcing means 25 which are mechanically associated with the connecting sections lla, llb of each leg. In more detail, said reinforcing means are formed by a plate-shaped element 25 with, in plan view, a polygonal or substantially rectangular shape with a peripheral edge 28. Anatomically- shaped gripping means 26 are included in a portion of said peripheral edge 28 which is located next to the bottom section 10 of the leg 5a or 5b, said means including, in the aforementioned peripheral edge portion 28, a recess 27 covered by a lining element 30 consisting of plastic or elastic rubber material. The positioning of the reinforcing means is different in the two legs 5a, 5b, namely the

distance of the plate-shaped element 25 from the top section 9 is different in the leg 5a from that in the leg 5b. Said arrangement allows the board 1 to be closed easily, as indicated hereinafter.

According to a main characteristic feature of the present invention, the ironing board 1 is provided with displacement means 31 able to facilitate the movement thereof when said board is arranged in the abovementioned working position.

Advantageously, said means 31 are formed by wheels provided on at least one of the two legs 5a, 5b, and, preferably, on the rear leg 5b only. In more detail, according to the example shown in the accompanying drawings, two wheels or rollers 31 are envisaged, each being mounted on one end 10a, 10b of the bottom section 10 of the rear leg 5b on a raised portion 80 thereof which is directed in the opposite direction to the other front leg 5a.

Advantageously, the raised portion 80 may be formed with a cavity 92 provided in the shaped part of the element 32 and the support elements 90 may simply consist of two opposing walls of the abovementioned cavity 92 (see Figs.

8b, 9b). In this way, the corresponding wheel 31 will be partially inserted and hidden inside the covering element 32 (see Figs. 8a, 9a).

Structurally, each wheel 31 is free to rotate about an axis Z, which is substantially horizontal and parallel to the transverse extension of the bottom section 10, and is rotationally supported by two support elements or lugs 90 extending so as to project from the bottom section 10.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, covering elements 32, preferably made of plastic material, are envisaged, said elements being fixed onto the ends 10a, 10b of the bottom section 10 of each leg 5a, 5b and able to define the raised portion 80 on which the wheels 31 are mounted. Said elements 32 are intended to rest on the floor by means of a bearing portion 81 thereof with the ironing board 1 arranged in the working position (see Fig. 8a).

Operatively, by gripping the front tapered end 3a of the surface 2, it is possible to raise the ironing board 1 providing it with an inclination A sufficient to transfer its weight onto the two rear wheels 31 and enabling in this way said board 1 to be transported easily on the floor. In particular, according to the present invention, it will be sufficient to incline the ironing board 1 slightly so as to rest the wheels 31 on the floor. Such a circumstance-is also aided by the presence of the concavity C of the rear leg 5b, the form of which has been described above.

The covering elements 32 can moreover prevent the

floor from becoming scratched and increase the overall stability of the ironing board 1.

During use, the board 1 can be moved between the closed operative position, in which the legs 5a, 5b are folded as closely as possible to the ironing surface 2, and the working operative position with the legs splayed in a known manner. Once the desired height of the board 1 has been reached, the movement of the legs is prevented by acting on the locking means 6.

An iron, not shown, may be connected to an electrical supply by means of the power socket 40 and the electrical cable 39, thereby avoiding the use of extension leads.

According to a further characteristic feature of the present invention, the support frame 4 described above, owing to its bridge-like form, allows ironing to be carried out from a seated position, since it is possible to insert a chair between the two legs 5a, 5b below the pairs of crossed rods 20,21, which are specially provided only in the region of the top portions 18a, 18b of said legs 5a, 5b. The presence of the wheels 31 allows the user to position the board 1 easily.

At the end of the ironing operation, the board 1 can be easily closed by means of the gripping means 27, the diversified position of which allows easy gripping and closing of the board 1, as well as easy transportation with

the board 1 in the closed position. Alternatively, the board 1 may be left in the working position so as to be able to be easily transported by means of the wheels 31.

According to a further constructional feature of the present invention, shown in detail in Figs. 4-5, the board 1 comprises a support 50 with a support surface 50'for a boiler (not shown) mounted at the end 3b of the surface 2.

In more detail, this support 50 is provided with a rod 51 hinged on support means 52 which are fixed to the surface 2. Owing to the rod 51, the support 50 is free to rotate about an axis Y, which is substantially transverse to the longitudinal extension of the ironing board 1, between an open position 53 shown in Fig. 4 and a retracted position 54 shown in Fig. 5.

The support means 52 may also envisage the use of a protective element 60 advantageously made of heat-resistant plastic material.

The support 50 is also provided with a locating element 56, formed by a shaped bar which extends towards the ironing surface 2 when the support is in the open position 53, said bar 56 being intended to come into contact with the underside of the surface 2 keeping the boiler support 50 in a substantially horizontal position.

The shaped bar 55 extends below the rod 51 by means of two arms 56, in order to keep the support surface 50'

substantially coplanar with the surface 2 of the board 1.

Advantageously, the rod 51 engages in a retaining manner with the support means 52 in both positions 53 and 54 of the support, from which said rod may by released by simply pulling on the outer end 57 of said support 50.

Fig. 7 shows a bottom view of the ironing surface 2, on the underside of which a securing element 58 is advantageously hinged. Said element preferably has a hook- shaped form and can engage with the bottom section 10 of one of the two legs 5a, 5b so as to retain said legs in the closed position.

The invention therefore achieves the proposed objects, resulting in the abovementioned advantages compared to the known solutions.

Owing to the provision of the wheels 31 and the gripping means arranged on the legs 5a, 5b, the ironing board 1 is simple and easy to handle.

Moreover, a further advantage is provided by the particular curvature of the legs which improves the overall stability of the ironing board.

Moreover, the design of the board as a whole is particularly pleasing and attractive.