U.S. patent application number 13/418054 was filed with the patent office on 2012-09-06 for iron retaining system and support device thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Polder Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kerry COOPER, George Calvin Scott.
Application Number | 20120222338 13/418054 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43085270 |
Filed Date | 2012-09-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120222338 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
COOPER; Kerry ; et
al. |
September 6, 2012 |
IRON RETAINING SYSTEM AND SUPPORT DEVICE THEREOF
Abstract
A system for retaining a clothes iron includes a base plate
having vertically offset front and rear portions configured to
support a nose sole plate portion and a heal portion of the clothes
iron, respectively, and lateral side portions configured to support
opposing lateral side sole plate portions of the clothes iron, and
a pair of holding arms configured to move from a first position
below the base plate to a second position above the base plate and
to contact side body portions of the clothes iron.
Inventors: |
COOPER; Kerry;
(Pleasantville, NY) ; Scott; George Calvin; (New
Fairfield, CT) |
Assignee: |
Polder Industries, Inc.
Oxford
CT
|
Family ID: |
43085270 |
Appl. No.: |
13/418054 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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12463766 |
May 11, 2009 |
8132346 |
|
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13418054 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
38/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 81/003 20130101;
D06F 79/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
38/107 |
International
Class: |
D06F 79/00 20060101
D06F079/00 |
Claims
1. A system for retaining a clothes iron, comprising: a base plate
having vertically offset front and rear portions configured to
support a nose sole plate portion and a heal portion of the clothes
iron, respectively, and lateral side portions configured to support
opposing lateral side sole plate portions of the clothes iron; and
a pair of holding arms configured to move from a first position
below the base plate to a second position above the base plate and
to contact side body portions of the clothes iron.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pair of holding
arms are spring biased against the side body portions of the
clothes iron.
3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an
attachment strap connected between the pair of holding arms.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the attachment strap
include elastic material.
5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the pair of holding
arms are configured to move from the first position to the second
position by the attachment strap.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the attachment strap is
configured to be positioned along a handle portion of the clothes
iron when the pair of holding arms are at the second position.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the lateral
side portions of the base plate include a removable insert formed
of heat resistant material.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of the opposing
lateral side sole plate portions of the clothes iron contact the
removable insert.
9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of
accessory bars, each positioned along out edge portions of the base
plate.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the accessory
bars extend along a direction from the rear portion to the front
portion of the base plate.
11. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the accessory
bars include a plurality of alternating curved portions.
12. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the accessory
bars include rounded ends.
13. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the accessory
bars are attached to an underside of the base plate.
14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of
attachment arms configured to extend from one of the rear portion
and the front portion of the base plate for attaching the system to
an ironing board.
15. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the holding
arms are configured to be substantially concentric with the lateral
side portions.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein each of the holding
arms pivot about a pivot point positioned below the lateral side
portions.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein each of the holding
arms are spring biased at the pivot point.
18. A support device for a clothes iron retaining system,
comprising: a base plate having a rear support portion configured
to support a heal portion of the clothes iron, a front support
portion configured to support a front shoe plate portion of the
clothes iron, and opposing lateral side portions, each including a
supporting portion configured to support opposing lateral shoe
plate portions of the clothes iron, wherein the rear support
portion and the front support portion are offset along a vertical
direction corresponding to a height difference between the heal and
front shoe plate portions of the clothes iron.
19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the rear support
portion includes a curved surface.
20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the base plate
includes a generally I-shaped opening between the rear and front
support portions and the opposing lateral side portions.
21. The device according to claim 18, wherein the base plate
includes a spacing between the opposing lateral side portions at a
position corresponding to the front support portion.
22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the supporting
portion extends inwardly to a position below the front support
portion along the vertical direction.
23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the supporting
portion includes a heat resistant insert.
24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the heat resistant
insert includes a plurality of raised members.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The embodiments described herein relate to a system for
retaining and storing a clothes pressing device, and more
particularly, to a system for securely and conveniently retaining a
clothes iron and a supporting device thereof.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] Conventional clothes irons are designed to have a
substantially pointed forward portion and a relatively flat heal
portion. During and after pressing of clothing, the hot clothes
iron is usually placed on the surface of an ironing board to cool
down. In addition, most consumers will typically leave the clothes
iron standing on the heal portion in an upright orientation on the
ironing board until the next time that clothes are to be ironed.
However, since the surface area of the heal portion of the clothes
iron that contacts the ironing board is relatively small and the
clothes iron is usually top heavy, there is a significant chance
that the clothes iron will be knocked over by a relatively minor
bumping of the ironing board. As a result, the clothes iron, the
ironing board cover, and the iron board can be damaged.
[0005] Moreover, ironing boards are notoriously unstable, thereby
increasing the likelihood that the minor bumping of the ironing
board will cause the clothes iron to tip over and possibly fall to
the floor. Here, the clothes iron will undoubtedly become damaged
due to the impact with the floor and, if just recently used, the
still-hot iron will burn the floor surface and may cause the floor
surface to catch fire.
[0006] In addition, due to their configuration, a clothes iron is
difficult to store with a folder ironing board. Although there are
many different arrangements for individually storing both the
clothes iron and the ironing board, there exists no convenient way
to simultaneously store the ironing board with the clothes iron
attached.
[0007] Accordingly, a system for retaining and storing the clothes
iron is needed that prevents the clothes iron from being
inadvertently knocked to the ground both during and after the
ironing of clothes. In addition, a system is needed that will
provide safe storage of the clothes iron between time periods when
clothes are to be ironed.
SUMMARY
[0008] A system for securely and conveniently retaining a clothes
iron is described herein.
[0009] In one aspect, a system for retaining a clothes iron
includes a base plate having vertically offset front and rear
portions configured to support a nose sole plate portion and a heal
portion of the clothes iron, respectively, and lateral side
portions configured to support opposing lateral side sole plate
portions of the clothes iron, and a pair of holding arms configured
to move from a first position below the base plate to a second
position above the base plate and to contact side body portions of
the clothes iron.
[0010] In another aspect, a support device for a clothes iron
retaining system includes a base plate having a rear support
portion configured to support a heal portion of the clothes iron, a
front support portion configured to support a front shoe plate
portion of the clothes iron, and opposing lateral side portions,
each including a supporting portion configured to support opposing
lateral shoe plate portions of the clothes iron, wherein the rear
support portion and the front support portion are offset along a
vertical direction corresponding to a height difference between the
heal and front shoe plate portions of the clothes iron.
[0011] These and other features, aspects, and embodiments are
described below in the section "Detailed Description."
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in
conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary system for
retaining a clothes iron according to one embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an front view of the exemplary system of FIG. 1
according to one embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 3 is backside view of the exemplary system of FIG. 1
according to one embodiment; and
[0016] FIG. 4 is perspective view of using the exemplary system of
FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary system for
retaining a clothes iron according to one embodiment. In FIG. 1,
the exemplary iron holder system 10 includes a base plate 100, a
pair of attachment arms 200, accessory bars and cord wrap 300,
holding arms/bars 400, and an attachment strap 500. The base plate
100 may be formed of heat conductive material(s), such as metals,
composites, and hybrid combinations thereof, and may have a
generally polygonal shape. For example, the base plate 100 may
include side portions 110, a rear portion 120, and a front portion
130 surrounding a generally I-shaped open region 140. In addition,
the base plate 100 may, have a slight concavity inwardly toward the
open region 140 such that the rear portion 120 is curved. However,
the front portion 130 may have a generally planar surface compared
to the rear portion 120. In addition, each of the side portions 110
may have a generally planar surface portion 112a and a slightly
angled supporting portion 112b that extends inwardly toward the
open region 140 and below the surface portion 112a, as shown in
FIG. 2. For example, the supporting portion 112b may extend below
the front portion 130.
[0018] Each of the side portions 110 may include an insert 114 that
may be removably attached to the surface portion 112a and
supporting portion 112b from beneath the base plate 100. In
addition, the insert 114 may include a plurality of raised members
116 having different geometrical shapes or lines. For example, as
shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of raised members 116 may include
circular and oval geometric shapes that may be aligned along a
longitudinal direction `d` of the base plate 100.
[0019] The insert 114 may be formed of resilient heat resistant
material(s), such as silicone rubber. In addition, the insert 114
may be formed of combinations of materials such that the plurality
of raised members 116 are formed of material(s) different from the
insert 114. Moreover, the plurality of raised member 116 may be
molded from the same material(s) of the insert 114, or may be
formed as individual pieces that may be inserted into the insert
114.
[0020] In FIG. 1, the rear portion 120 may be disposed
substantially between the pair of attachment arms 200, and may be
aligned with the front portion 130. However, the upper surface of
the rear portion 120 is positioned at a height `x` above the upper
planar surface of the front portion 130, as shown in FIG. 2.
Generally, clothes irons have sole plates (i.e., the metal plate
that transfers heat to the clothes) that do not extend completely
to the heal portion of the clothes iron body. Accordingly, the
upper surface of the rear portion 120 is preferably offset from the
upper planar surface of the front portion 130. In the event that
the clothes iron to be retained has a sole plate that extends fully
from the front to the heal of the clothes iron body, the base plate
will include substantially coplanar upper surfaces of the rear
portion 120 and the front portion 130.
[0021] In addition, the supporting portions 112b extend below the
front portion 130. The front portion 130 may formed as an integral
part of the base plate 100, or may be formed as a separate member
and joined to an underside of the base plate 100. Here, as shown in
FIG. 2, the front portion 130 is shown to be formed as a separate
member having sides 132 joined to an underside of the base plate
100 at a general region A. As a result, the front portion 130 is
disposed within a spacing `S` between lateral opposing sides 118 of
the side portions 110. Although the sides 118 are shown to be
substantially parallel, they may be mutually positioned at an angle
from the direction `d`.
[0022] In FIG. 1, the front portion 130 is shown to include an
opening 134 centrally located between the sides 118 of the side
portions 110. Alternatively, the opening 134 may include different
geometries, and may include a plurality of openings. Here, the
opening 134 may provide for improved cooling of the base plate 100
and a shoe plate of the clothes iron, as detailed below. In
addition, the opening 134 may be provided as a location for
inserting a member having a brand logo. Moreover, the opening 134
may be filled with thermally conductive material(s) to aid in
cooling of base plate 100, or cooling of a clothes iron, as
detailed below.
[0023] The pair of attachment arms 200 may be attached to an
underside of the base plate 100 to extend along the direction for
attachment to an ironing board, or for attachment to another
platform used to provide a supporting surface for ironing of
clothing. In addition, the pair of attachment arms 200 may be
adjustably spaced apart to accommodate for various ironing board
configurations. Moreover, although the pair of attachment arms 200
are shown to be substantially parallel members 202, each of the
members 202 may have substantially bent portions to provide
additional vertical and lateral support when the iron holder 10 is
attached to the ironing board. Alternatively, instead of a pair of
attachment arms 200, a single member 202 may be provided to extend
from a central region of the rear portion 120. Here, use of the
single member 202 would preferably include substantially bent
portions.
[0024] For example, the pair of attachment arms 200 may extend
beneath a rear portion of an ironing board and be affixed to the
underside of the ironing board such that the upper surface of the
base plate 100 may be substantially coplanar with an ironing
surface of the ironing board. Alternatively, the pair of attachment
arms 200 may be formed to include adjustable offset portions (not
shown) to either raise or lower the upper surface of the base plate
100 substantially above or below the ironing surface of the ironing
board.
[0025] Although the pair of attachment arms 200 are shown in FIG. 1
to extend from the rear portion 120 of the base plate 100, the pair
of attachment arms 200 may instead be provided to extend from the
front portion 130. Alternatively, the pair of attachment arms 200
may be provided with the base plate 100 so as to be user selectable
to extend from either the rear portion 120 or the front portion
130.
[0026] The accessory bars 300 are shown to extend along the
direction `d` and correspond to the side portions 110. The
accessory bars 300 include curved portions 310 and rounded ends
320. The curved portions 310 include alternating upper and lower
regions 310a and 310b along an entire length of the accessory bars
300. Here, the upper regions 310a delineate the accessory bars 300
such that hangers can be retained in the lower regions 310b.
Moreover, each of the lower regions 310b may be provided such that
a plurality of hangers may be retained. Accordingly, as a piece of
clothing is ironed, it may be placed onto a hanger and then hung on
one of the lower regions 310a.
[0027] In addition, the curved portions 310 may be used to hang
various other items that may be used during the ironing of clothes.
For example, the squeeze handle portion of a spray water bottle may
be hung from the curved portions 310. In addition, the electrical
cord of a clothes iron can be wound around the rounded ends 320 of
the accessory bars 300 for storage, or during ironing when the
electrical cord is too long.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the accessory bars 300 may
be attached to the underside of the base plate 100 by attachment
portions 110 corresponding to both the front portion 130 and the
rear portion 120. In addition, each of the accessory bars 300 may
be removably provided, or may be interchanged with other accessory
holding devices.
[0029] In FIG. 1, the holding bars 400 may be provided at the
underside of the base plate 100. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the
holding bars 400 may be removably attached to the underside of the
base plate by clamps 150, and ends 410 of the holding bars 400 may
be free to rotate within the clamps 150. Here, each of the holding
bars 400 may be spring biased to a corresponding one of the
supporting portions 112b using a spring 420 to pivot around a pivot
point below the base plate 100. Accordingly, in a rest position,
the holding bars 400 are disposed at a position down below the
supporting portions 112b due to the forces of the spring 420, as
shown in FIG. 2. However, as shown in FIG. 1, the overall geometry
and size of the holding bars 400 is such that when raised above the
supporting portions 112b and the upper planar surface of the base
plate 100 using the attachment strap 500, the holding bars 400 do
not interfere or make contact with the supporting portions 112b.
Here, the holding bars 400 are preferably configured to be
substantially concentric with the supporting portions 112b.
[0030] The holding bars 400 may be formed of material(s) having
substantially high mechanical strength, such as metal and
composites. In addition, the holding bars 400 may be configured to
freely move from the rest position to the raised position by
manipulating the attachment strap 500. Here, in FIGS. 1 and 3, the
attachment strap 500 is shown to include bar attachment members 510
and a central portion 520. The bar attachment members 510 are
coupled to opposing portions of the holding bars 400, and the
central portion 520 interconnects the bar attachment members 510.
In addition, a pull handle 530 is provided at the central portion
520 to facilitate moving the holding bars 400 from their rest
position to their raised position. As shown in FIG. 3, when the
holding bars 400 are in their rest position, then attachment strap
500 is held in a slight tension mode such that there is no droop in
the attachment strap 500. For example, the attachment strap 500 is
preferably formed from elastic material(s) to allow for the holding
bars 400 to be placed in their raised position will exhibiting
substantial tension within the attachment strap 500, as will be
described in detail below. In addition, it is preferable that the
attachment strap 500 possesses heat resistance properties.
[0031] In FIGS. 1 and 3, although the attachment strap 500 is shown
to be attached to the holding bars 400 at a location closer to the
front portion 130, the attachment strap 500 may be positioned along
opposing portions of the holding bars 400 anywhere between the
front and rear portions 130 and 120. Moreover, the bar attachment
members 510 may be formed of the same material(s) as the central
portion 520, i.e., the attachment strap 500 is formed of one
integral piece, or the bar attachment members 510 may be formed of
different material(s) than those of the central portion. For
example, the bar attachment members 510 may be formed of
substantially plastic material(s) and then attached to opposing
ends of the central portion 520. Then, the bar attachment members
510 may be simply clipped over the opposing portions of the holding
bars 400.
[0032] In the event that the attachment strap 500 is formed of one
integral piece, the bar attachment members 510 may be mounted onto
the holding bars 400 by inserting the holding bars 400 through
openings in the bar attachment member 510. Then, the bar attachment
members 510 can be slid into place at desired locations on the
opposing portions of the holding bars 400, and the ends 410 of the
holding bars 400 may be positioned onto the underside of the base
plate 100 using the clamps 150.
[0033] An exemplary method for using the iron holder 10 (in FIGS.
1-3) will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, a clothes iron 600 may be positioned and
retained on the iron holder system 10 using the attachment strap
500 and the base plate 100. First, without the clothes iron 600
positioned on the base plate 100, a user will first pull the
attachment strap 500 using the pull handle 530 to move the holding
bars 400 from a rest position below the base plate 100 to a raised
position above the base plate 100. Then, the clothes iron 600 may
be slid between the holding bars 400 and between the raised
attachment strap 500 and the base plate 100 along a direction `d`
(in FIG. 1). Once the heal 610 and the nose 620 of the clothes iron
600 are positioned above the rear and front portions 120 and 130,
respectively, the clothes iron 600 may be lowered onto the base
plate 100 where side regions 630a of the iron shoe plate 630 may
contact the inserts 114 disposed on the support portions 112b. In
addition, and almost simultaneously, the heal 610 of the clothes
iron 600 and the front portion 630b of the iron shoe plate 630 may
come to rest onto the rear and front portions 120 and 130,
respectively.
[0035] Next, due to the spring bias of the holding arms 400, the
holding arms 400 are pressed against side regions 640 of the
clothes iron 600. Here, the holding arms 400 are laterally spaced
apart from the iron shoe plate 630. In addition, the tension within
the attachment strap 500 maintains a downward force upon a handle
portion 640 of the clothes iron 600. Moreover, the pull handle 530
can include can include a recess on an underside of the pull handle
530 that will trap the attachment strap 500 and lead the attachment
strap 500 onto the handle portion 650 of the clothes iron 600,
thereby keeping the attachment strap 500 away from the iron shoe
plate 630. Accordingly, the clothes iron 600 is positively retained
onto the iron holder 10 due to the spring bias of the holding arms
400, as well as the tension within the attachment strap 500 as it
crosses over the handle portion 650.
[0036] As detailed above, since the rear portion 120 is disposed
above the front portion 130 of the base plate 100 by the distance
`x` (in FIG. 2), which substantially corresponds to the spacing
distance between the front portion 630b of the iron shoe plate 630
and the heal 610, the clothes iron 600 may be fully supported at
the heal and nose 610 and 620 by the iron holder 10. Moreover, the
support portions 112b provide complete laterally support to the
side regions 630a of the iron show plate 630. Accordingly, the
clothes iron 600 may be completely and fully retained by the iron
holder 10 at both heal and nose 610 and 620, as well as lateral
side regions 630a.
[0037] As detailed above, placement of the clothes iron 600 onto
the iron holder 10 may be performed immediately after the ironing
of clothes. Here, since the base plate 100 is formed of heat
conductive material(s), and the front portion 130 of the base plate
100 makes direct contact with the front portion 630b of the iron
shoe plate 630, residual heat from the just-used clothes iron 600
will be quickly and safely dissipated via conduction by the base
plate 100. Moreover, the open region 140 (in FIG. 1) provides for
convective dissipation of the residual heat.
[0038] Accordingly, by placement of the clothes iron 600 onto the
iron holder 10, a cool-down period with the clothes iron 600
sitting on the heal 610 on the ironing board is not necessary,
thereby reducing the possibility of damaging the clothes iron 600,
the ironing board, and the floor by simply resting the clothes iron
600 on its heal 610 on the ironing board. In addition, when a user
has completed ironing of the clothes and positioned the clothes
iron 600 into the iron holder 10, the ironing board along with the
iron holder 10 can be immediately closed, moved, and placed upright
into storage without having to wait for completion of a cool-down
period. In most instances, the iron board is collapsed and either
hung on a wall or rested on its end region on the floor. Here, the
iron holder 10 is positioned at the end region of the ironing
board.
[0039] Then, when a user needs to iron clothes, the ironing board
and attached iron holder 10 can be simultaneously removed from
storage and set-up. Next, the user may pull upward on the pull
handle 530 to partially remove the clamping forces of the holding
arms 400 on the side regions 640 of the clothes iron 600, and
slide-out the clothes iron 600 from the iron holder 10. As a
result, the holding arms 400 will be placed into their rest
position, as shown in FIG. 2, below the base plate 100.
[0040] When the user has again completed the task of ironing
clothes, a simple pull upward on the pull handle 530 will place the
holding arms 400 in the raised position and the clothes iron 600
may be slide into place onto the iron holder 10. Here, the user may
use only one hand to raise the holding arms 400, and at the same
time use the other hand to slide the clothes iron 600 into place
onto the iron holder 10 to store the clothes iron 600. Similarly,
removal of the clothes iron 600 from the iron holder 10 only
requires the user's two hands in a relatively quick and efficient
maneuver.
[0041] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, the present
application is not limited to the precise exemplary embodiments
described herein and various changes and modifications may be
effected without departing from the spirit or scope of the
application. For example, elements and/or features of different
illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other,
substituted for each other, and/or expanded upon within the scope
of the present disclosure and the appended claims. In addition,
improvements and modifications which become apparent to persons of
ordinary skill in the art after reading the present disclosure and
appended drawings are deemed within the spirit and scope of the
present application.
* * * * *