Such an ironing device is applied on large scale for domestic use and in hotel rooms and the like. This is always a separate iron which is used in combination with the ironing board. Both then have to be stored away separately of each other. The iron, which is often still hot, herein forms a real fire hazard if it is not put away carefully.

This hazard occurs particularly in hotel rooms where a guest will often leave the accommodation for a longer period after having used the device.

It is the object of the invention to provide an ironing device of the type stated in the preamble which provides a practical and in particular safe storage option for the iron.

In order to achieve the intended purpose, an ironing device of the type stated in the preamble has the feature according to the invention that the ironing board is provided with fixing means which are able to receive the iron and to fix it in a manually releasable position. In this device the iron no longer has to be stored away separately after use, but is given a place on the ironing board itself. The fixation of the iron on the ironing board herein provides a safe storage option since the possibility of the iron becoming detached is thus avoided, even when the ironing board is folded up and put away.

A particular embodiment of the device has the feature according to the invention that the fixing means comprise a projection which protrudes in a direction transversely of the ironing board and that the iron is provided with a corresponding bore for receiving the projection therein. The iron is specially modified herein for the use with the fixing means in that a suitable bore is arranged therein. This provides a particularly practical and sturdy embodiment of the fixing means, wherein the iron is simply placed with the bore onto the projection.

A further embodiment of the ironing device according to the invention has the feature that the iron is provided with at least a part of locking means acting in a direction transversely of the bore in order to fix the iron in manually releasable manner in the situation placed on the projection. Because the locking means act in a direction transversely of the bore a fixation of the iron is achieved in both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the bore, whereby it is properly fixed on the ironing board under all conditions. A further particular embodiment of the ironing device according to the invention has in this respect the feature that the locking means comprise a resilient lip which slots close-fittingly into a corresponding recess of the iron.

A preferred embodiment of the ironing device according to the invention is characterized in that the fixing means are arranged wholly on a bracket which is mounted on the ironing board. The placing of the fixing means on a separate bracket makes it possible to subsequently make existing ironing boards quickly suitable for application of the invention. The bracket with the fixing means thereon can thus be mounted later on an existing ironing board, whereafter this latter is wholly suitable for application of the invention.

It is particularly important in hotel rooms that the iron is not left lying around or otherwise comes to lie in a place not intended for the purpose. In order to avoid this, a further embodiment of the ironing device according to the invention has the feature that the iron is connected by means of a cord. flex or the like to the ironing board.

The cord, flex or the like prevents the possibility of the iron too easily being placed too far from the ironing board.

The invention likewise relates to an iron for application in the ironing device according to the invention as specified above.

The invention will be further elucidated hereinbelow with reference to an embodiment and to a drawing. In the drawing :

figures 1-3 show schematic cross-sections of an embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention in different stages of use.

The figures are otherwise purely schematic and not drawn to scale. For the sake of clarity some dimensions in particular are greatly exaggerated. Corresponding parts are designated in the figures with the same reference numerals.

The ironing device shown in figure 1 comprises a collapsible ironing board I with an electric iron thereby. The ironing device is provided with fixing means in the form of a projection 3, see figures 2 and 3, on which the iron is placed in the situation shown in figure 1. The iron comprises for this purpose a fixation block 4 in which a bore, not shown in the plane of the drawing, is arranged which corresponds with the form of projection 3. The fixing means further comprise a resilient lip 5 which falls into a corresponding recess on the rear side of fixation block 4.

In order to remove the iron, the resilient lip 5 must first be retracted with the control member 6 provided for this purpose so as to thus release the iron. The iron can then be lifted from the projection, see figure 2, in order to be used, see figure 3.

After use the iron is again (re-) placed on the projection and the resilient lip snaps automatically into the recess at the rear of the fixation block 4. The iron thus forms with the ironing board an integral unit which can be folded down together and stowed away together. An iron left lying about or stored in other unsafe manner hereby becomes a thing of the past.

The fixing means which provide fixation of the iron on the ironing board are arranged entirely on a separate bracket 7 which is fastened in turn to the ironing board by means of screws or other fastening means. An existing ironing board can thus be made wholly suitable very quickly for application of the present invention by simply arranging such a bracket having the fixing means already pre-fastened thereon.

All in all the invention hereby provides a particularly convenient and useful solution which enables an iron of an ironing device to be stored with the ironing board thereof.

The iron can optionally be attached herein to the bracket or the ironing board via a cord, flex or the like, so that the iron is actually prevented from being separated from the ironing device.

Although the invention has been further elucidated on the basis of only a single embodiment, it will be apparent that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, many other variations and embodiments are still possible within the scope of the invention for a person with ordinary skill in the art.