Fast Heat / Fast Cool Iron With Steam Boiler

• US 20080189993A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applica Consumer Products Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Applica Consumer Products Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cavada, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 38/82
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/06 with means for supplying steam or liquid to the article being ironed D06F75/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/26 Temperature control or indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/38 Sole plates D06F75/20 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and device for controlling the temperature of a soleplate of an iron, the method having the following steps: energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate, wherein heat energy is transferred from the heater element to the soleplate; and heating the soleplate from 60° C. to a temperature of greater than 100° C. in less than 45 seconds. A method and device for controlling an iron, the method having the following steps: setting a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature; and setting a steam boiler of the iron to a second temperature, wherein the first and second temperatures are different.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the temperature of a soleplate of an iron, the method comprising:

energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate, wherein heat energy is transferred from the heater element to the soleplate; and

heating the soleplate from room temperature to a temperature of greater than 100°

C. in less than 45 seconds.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising cooling the soleplate from a temperature of greater than 100°

C. to 60°

C. in less than 4.5 minutes.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the energizing a heater element comprises energizing a foil.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the energizing a heater element comprises energizing an infrared source.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the energizing a heater element comprises maintaining an ironing temperature by energizing with less than 1000 watts.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the energizing a heater element comprises energizing more than one heating zone.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising sensing a user, wherein the sensing controls the energizing a heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is not energized.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising sensing a user, wherein the sensing controls the energizing a heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is energized by a relatively lesser amount.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically stopping the energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate after a predetermined period of time.

10. A method for controlling an iron, the method comprising:

heating a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature; and

heating a steam boiler of the iron to a second temperature, wherein the first and second temperatures are different.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first temperature is less than or equal to 100°

C. and the second temperature is greater than 100°

C.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising independently controlling the first and second temperatures, respectively.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the heating a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature comprises applying less than 1000 watts to the soleplate.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the heating a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature comprises heating a plurality of heating zone on the soleplate to different temperatures.

15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising sensing a user, wherein the sensing controls the energizing a heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is not energized.

16. A method according to claim 10, further comprising sensing a user, wherein the sensing controls the energizing a heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is energized by a relatively lesser amount.

17. A method according to claim 10, further comprising automatically stopping the energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate after a predetermined period of time.

18. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:

a soleplate comprising a thickness less than 1.6 mm; and

a heater element associated with the soleplate so as to heat the soleplate.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the soleplate comprises a Kapton material.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element is integrated with the soleplate.

21. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element is proximate the soleplate.

22. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element comprises a foil.

23. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element comprises a thickness smaller than ⅙

a width.

24. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element comprises a thickness between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm, and wherein the heater element comprises a width between 1 mm and 5 mm.

25. A device according to claim 18, wherein the heater element is an infrared source.

26. A device according to claim 18, wherein the soleplate comprises:

a first insulating film adhered to a first side of a heater element via a first adhesive layer, a first side of a second insulating film adhered to a second side of the heater element via a second adhesive layer, and an ironing plate adhered to a second side of the second insulating film via a third adhesive layer.

27. A device according to claim 18, further comprising a rib in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the rib structurally supports the soleplate.

28. A device according to claim 18, further comprising a backing in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the backing structurally supports the soleplate.

29. A device according to claim 18, further comprising a user sensor, wherein the user sensor controls the heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is not energized.

30. A device according to claim 18, further comprising a user sensor, wherein the user sensor controls the heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is energized by a relatively lesser amount.

31. A device according to claim 18, further comprising an auto-OFF module, wherein the auto-OFF module automatically stops the energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate after a predetermined period of time.

32. A device according to claim 18, further comprising a battery power supply in electrical communication with the heater element, wherein the device is a cordless device.

33. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:

a soleplate comprising a steam hole;

a soleplate heater element associated with the soleplate so as to primarily heat the soleplate;

a steam boiler in fluid communication with the steam hole of the soleplate; and

a boiler heater element associated with the steam boiler so as to primarily heat the steam boiler.

34. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate comprises a Kapton material.

35. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element is integrated with the soleplate.

36. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element is proximate the soleplate.

37. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element is a foil.

38. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element comprises a thickness smaller than ⅙

a width.

39. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element comprises a thickness between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm, and wherein the heater element comprises a width between 1 mm and 5 mm.

40. A device according to claim 33, wherein the heater element is an infrared source.

41. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate comprises:

a first insulating film adhered to a first side of a heater element via a first adhesive layer, a first side of a second insulating film adhered to a second side of the heater element via a second adhesive layer, and an ironing plate adhered to a second side of the second insulating film via a third adhesive layer.

42. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a rib in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the rib structurally supports the soleplate.

43. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a rib in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the rib structurally supports the soleplate and the rib is formed from the same material as the soleplate material.

44. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a backing in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the backing structurally supports the soleplate.

45. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a soleplate temperature control in communication with the soleplate heater element and a steam boiler temperature control in communication with the boiler heater element, wherein the soleplate temperature control and the boiler temperature control operate independently of each other.

46. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a user sensor, wherein the user sensor controls the heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is not energized.

47. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a user sensor, wherein the user sensor controls the heater element, such that when a user is sensed the heater element is energized and when no user is sensed the heater element is energized by a relatively lesser amount.

48. A device according to claim 33, further comprising an auto-OFF module, wherein the auto-OFF module automatically stops the energizing a heater element associated with the soleplate after a predetermined period of time.

49. A device according to claim 33, further comprising a batter power supply in electrical communication with the soleplate heater element and the boiler heater element, wherein the device is a cordless device.

50. A device according to claim 33, wherein the soleplate heater element and the boiler heater element comprise a single unitary heater element, wherein the device further comprises an insulating layer between the single unitary heater element and the soleplate, and wherein the device further comprises a soleplate temperature control that controls the insulating capacity of the insulating layer.