Cordless Iron Apparatus

Abstract

A cordless iron apparatus for ironing a material that deteriorates at a predetermined temperature and including an iron formed with a heat-retention sole plate and including an electrical heating element disposed in heat exchange relationship with the sole plate for heating thereof to a selected temperature higher than the predetermined temperature. The iron further includes an electrical circuit means connected with the heating element and an electrical prong projecting from an electrical insulator. The sole plate is covered by a heat control sheet consisting of short fibers of aromatic polyamides to enable such material to be contacted by the iron when the sole plate is at the selected temperature without burning such material. A stand is provided for receiving the sheet and nesting the iron in a supporting position and includes an electrical insulator formed with a passage aligned with the prong when such iron is in its nested position, such stand further including an electrical terminal disposed in such passage for contact by the prong and electrical circuitry for connection with an electrical source. Thus, the iron may be nested in the stand and the sole plate will be heated to such selected temperature and the iron then removed from the stand and utilized in ironing the material without damage thereto, it being realized that such ironing may be continued until the sole plate cools below the temperature at which such ironing becomes ineffective.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a cordless electrical iron and more particularly to an iron of this type that may be heated well above the temperature at which the material to be ironed burns to thereby reduce the criticalness of the temperature setting and enabling the iron to be utilized for a long period of time upon a single heating thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many cordless irons have been proposed but such irons generally include metallic sole plates which may or may not be covered by a friction-reducing coating but which can only be heated to a relatively low temperature because of the danger of burning the material to be ironed, thus necessitating frequent reheating thereof and rendering practical use of such iron unfeasible. Irons of this type are shown in the following U. S. patents:

U.s. pat. No. 3,130,507, A. C. Hoecker

U.s. pat. No. 2,762,143, A. C. Hoecker

U.s. pat. No. 2,130,507, L. Rubinstein

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cordless iron of the present invention is characterized by a sheet covering the iron sole plate and formed of short fibers of aromatic polyamides which enables the sole plate to be heated to an elevated temperature for storage of a substantial quantity of heat which may be transferred therefrom during ironing of a material that would ordinarily be burned by a sole plate elevated to such temperature, thus reducing the criticalness of the temperature setting and enabling use of such iron for a relatively long period of time without recharging thereof.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cordless iron apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the iron removed from its stand;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a stand included in the cordless iron apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cordless iron apparatus of the present invention includes, generally, an iron 11 formed with a heat-retention sole plate 13 (FIG. 2) and having an electrical heating element disposed in heat exchange relationship therewith and connected in electrical circuit with a pair of plug prongs 17 and 19 (FIG. 4). Still speaking generally, the sole plate 13 is covered by a sheet 21 of short fibers of aromatic polyamides, such sheet being described in more detail hereinafter. A stand, generally designated 25, is provided for receipt of the sheet 21 and nests the iron in the nesting position shown in FIG. 1 with the plug prongs 17 and 19 in electrical contact with electrical terminals 27 and 29 (FIGS. 5 and 6) which are connected with a source of electrical current. The heat control sheet 21 is of such a nature that the sole plate 13 may be heated well above the temperature at which a material to be ironed would normally be burned and when ironing thereof is commenced, such sheet will enable the heat to transfer from the sole plate 13 to such material at a rate which will enable rapid and effective ironing of such material while preventing burning or scorching thereof thus enabling such sole plate to store a relatively large quantity of heat for ironing for a relatively long period of time without reheating thereof.

With the present-day use of acrylics in the textile industry, persons involved with ironing thereof must take great care to adjust the temperature of the iron to a temperature level that will effectively perform the ironing function while avoiding overheating thereof which may result in melting or burning of such acrylics. Many inexperienced persons will first raise the temperature level of the iron and test the heated iron against a margin area of the garment to be ironed and if such material is melted, the temperature setting is then lowered. Frequently, such lowering of the temperature setting is overdone, thus resulting in the iron rapidly cooling below the temperature at which it will effectively iron such material. The heat control sheet 21 solves this problem by enabling the temperature to be set well above the temperature at which the material may be effectively ironed thus substantially reducing the criticalness of choosing a temperature setting.

The heat control sheet 21 is removably mounted in a shoe, generally designated 33, and which includes a frame 35 which is somewhat larger than the overall area of such sole plate 13 and has the periphery of the sheet 21 removably secured thereto as disclosed in my U. S. Pat. No. 3,435,548. The shoe 33 itself is removably secured to the iron 11 by means of a coil spring 37 which fits over the rear of such iron to hold the shoe in position.

The chemical structure of the sheet 21 is set forth in detail in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,548 and is of the type designated NOMEX High Temperature Resistant Paper marketed by E. I. duPont De Nemours & Co., Inc. of Wilmington, Del. As noted in that patent, such paper is formed of short fibers of aromatic polyamides that are pressed into a pulp and processed on conventional paper-making equipment. The chemical details of such sheet are set forth in detail in that patent and are incorporated herein by reference.

The sheet 21 includes a plurality of perforations 38 to facilitate heat transfer from the sole plate 13 and to allow such sheet to breathe to avoid moisture being absorbed in the pore of such sheet resulting in packets of steam being generated resulting in the formation of blisters and consequent breaking down of such sheet. Further, the bottom side of such sheet is coated with a high temperature resistant, moisture sealing, antifriction medium such as silicon resin sold under the trade name DC 997 by Dow-Corning Company or any other similar medium as set forth in my above-identified patent.

The iron 11 is formed with a body 41 having an upper water compartment 43 separated from a lower steam chamber 45 by means of a horizontal partition 47. Connected with the steam generation compartment 47 is an uprising passage 49 which connects with a steam nozzle 51 disposed at the front of such body and directed downwardly toward material to be ironed. A small diameter breather hole 52 leads from the steam generation compartment through the sole plate 13.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the partition 47 includes a threaded bore 55 which has a brass fitting 57 screwed thereinto, such fitting being formed with a through vertical bore 59 and a plurality of radially projecting water passages 61. The lower end of the bore 59 is flared outwardly to form a valve seat 63 and a vertically projecting poppet 65 is received therein, such poppet being carried from a stem 67 which projects upwardly to terminate in an enlarged head 71.

Mounted on the body 41 is a handle 73 which has a temperature selector 74 mounted on the front thereof and an indicator light 75 mounted on the side thereof. Such indicator light 75 is connected in electrical circuit with a temperature responsive switching element disposed in heat exchange relationship with the sole plate 13 and is responsive to such sole plate being heated to a selected temperature to close an electrical switch for energizing such indicator light 75 to indicate that such sole plate has been so heated.

The stand 25 is in the form of a rack 81 of sufficient dimension to receive the oversized shoe 33, such rack being formed with an upwardly and forwardly angled rest 83 which turns downwardly on its forward extremity to define a support leg 85. The rack 81 is secured on its rear extremity to a heat and electrical insulative base 87 which is secured to a clamp 89 (FIG. 2) that may be utilized to secure the stand 25 to the rear of an ironing board 91. Leading from the rear of the base 87 is an electrical cord 90 which has a conventional electrical plug on the end thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the mount 87 is formed in its front side with an elongated slot 93 which is approximately one-quarter of an inch high and projects outwardly beyond the front extremity of the terminals 27 and 29 approximately one-quarter of an inch to thereby block finger access to such terminal so users cannot accidentally contact such terminals.

In operation, the stand 25 may conveniently be mounted from the rear of an ironing board 91 by placing the clamp 89 in position as shown in FIG. 1. The plug on the end of the cord 90 may then be plugged into an electrical socket and the iron 11 rested on the rest 83 to be slid rearwardly and downwardly thereon to engage the plug prongs 17 and 19 with the electrical terminals 27 and 29 (FIG. 5). The temperature selector 74 may then be set at the desired temperature as, for instance, 400.degree.F for ironing acrylics such as nylon or dacron. When the temperature of the sole plate 13 reaches such selected temperature, the thermally responsive switching element in circuit with the indicator light 75 will close the associated switch to energize such light and alert the user that the iron is ready for use.

The handle of the iron 73 may then conveniently be grasped and such iron slid up the rest 83 to disengage the plug prongs 17 and 19 from the electrical terminals 27 and 29 to discontinue heating of the sole plate 13.

The iron may then be lowered onto the material to be ironed and it has been determined that the temperature on the bottom surface of the heat control sheet 21 may initially be only a few degrees below the temperature of the sole plate, as for instance, 393.degree.F for a sole plate temperature of 400.degree.F, and that acrylics which normally melt or burn at between 150.degree.F and 200.degree.F are not detrimentally affected. Rather, ironing thereof may be continued effectively until the sole plate 13 cools sufficiently to render the temperature on the bottom of the sheet 21 ineffective for adequate ironing.

If it is desirable to utilize a steam spray for moistening the material to be ironed, the user may conveniently engage the flange 71 (FIG. 1) with his thumb to depress the valve poppet 65 (FIG. 7) off its seat 63 to enable water to flow inwardly through the water passages 61 and downwardly past such poppet to enter the steam generation chamber 45, it being realized that air may be drawn into such chamber through the breather hole 52. The relatively small cross section of such breather hole 52 restricts any substantial amount of steam from emitting therefrom, but rather, directs such steam through the steam nozzle 51 from where it will be sprayed forwardly onto the material to be ironed thus rapidly moistening such material in a uniform and effective manner without impinging excessive moisture thereon. It will be appreciated that such an arrangement overcomes the shortcomings of prior art irons incorporating perforated sole plates from which steam is impinged directly on the material being ironed thus failing to obtain a uniform dispersement of the moisture and overwetting localized areas.

If at any time it becomes necessary for the user to manipulate the material being ironed with both hands, he may conveniently return the iron 11 to the stand 25 and electrical contact will be made to reheat the sole plate 13 while the user is manipulating the material into position. On the other hand, when the user irons continuously for a sufficient period of time to enable the sole plate 13 to cool below the temperature at which an effective temperature is retained on the bottom of the heat control sheet 21, the iron may be returned to the stand 25 and heating thereof continued until the indicator light 75 is energized, at which time the user will know that the desired temperature has been reached.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the cordless iron apparatus of present invention provides a highly convenient means for ironing material with a hand held electrical iron without the inconvenience of a cord being attached thereto. Further, such apparatus provides means for maintaining the iron at a sufficiently high temperature to perform the ironing function for a relatively long period of time without danger of burning the material being ironed.

Claims

I claim:

1. Cordless iron apparatus for ironing a material that deteriorates at a predetermined temperature and comprising:

an iron formed with a heat retention plate defining a sole plate and including an electrical heating element disposed in heat exchange relationship with said sole plate for heating said sole plate to a selected temperature higher than said predetermined temperature, said iron further including an electrical circuit means connected with said heating element and an electrical insulator having electrical prong means projecting therefrom and connected with said electrical circuit;

a heat control sheet covering said sole plate and formed of short fibers of aromatic polyamides for preventing deterioration of said material when said iron is placed thereon with said sole plate at said selected temperature;

means for attaching said heat control sheet to said sole plate;

a stand for receiving said sheet and nesting said iron, said stand including an electrical insulator formed with a passage aligned with said prong means when said iron is nested in said support and electrical circuitry for connection with an electrical source and including electrical terminal means disposed in said passage to make contact with said prong when said iron is nested in said stand and said prong means received in said passage whereby said electrical circuitry may be connected with an electrical source, said iron nested in said support to cause said plug and prong to make contact to energize said heating element to heat said sole to said selected temperature, said iron lifted from said stand and said sheet applied to material to be ironed to thereby flatten and heat said material while said sheet prevents deterioration thereof.

2. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said iron includes:

a water compartment;

a steam jet disposed above said heat storage plate and directed downwardly to direct a jet of steam on said material adjacent one end of said iron; and

valve means in said conduit means for controlling flow therethrough and including a control element disposed adjacent said handle.

3. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said passage is formed at its open end with an opening having at least one dimension of its cross section less than one-quarter of an inch and said terminal is recessed at least one-eighth of an inch in said passage to restrict access to said terminal.

4. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said iron includes an indicator connected with said electrical circuit and a thermally responsive element in heat exchange relationship with said sole plate, connected in circuit with said indicator and responsive to said selected temperature in said sole plate to activate said indicator.

5. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

means removably retaining said heat control sheet on said iron.

6. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said iron includes a steam generator compartment having one wall thereof formed by said sole plate; and

a water chamber disposed above said compartment and a water passage leading from said chamber to said compartment;

a steam jet directed downwardly adjacent one end of said iron and a conduit leading therefrom and to said compartment; and

valve means in said water passage and including an actuator disposed adjacent said handle.

7. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said aromatic polyamide is on the order of NOMEX.

8. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said stand includes a rest for receiving said heat control sheet, said rest being inclined to cause said iron to slide downwardly thereon to direct said prong into electrical contact with said terminal means.

9. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said passage is formed at its open end with an opening having at least one dimension of its cross section less than three-eighths of an inch and said terminal means is recessed at least one-eighth of an inch in said passage to restrict access to said terminal.

10. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said iron includes an indicator connected with said electrical circuit and a thermally responsive element connected in circuit therewith and responsive to a predetermined temperature to activate said indicator.

11. Cordless iron apparatus as set forth in claim 6 that includes:

means removably retaining said barrier on said iron.