WO2004035907A1

WO2004035907A1 - Ironing device

Info

Publication number: WO2004035907A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/004841
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yves Lapauw; Dominique Lapauw
Original assignee: Yves Lapauw; Dominique Lapauw
Priority date: 2002-10-18
Filing date: 2002-10-18
Publication date: 2004-04-29
Also published as: AU2002349701A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an ironing device comprising pressure means (2), an ironing board (3) and heating means (10), provided for the ironing board (3) to be heated, the pressure means (2) being provided for exerting a pressure on a tissue (6) situated on the ironing board (3), the heating means (10) comprising a heating surface lying against the ironing board (3). The heating surface (10) comprising a conductor (11) and an isolating layer (12A) situated between the ironing board (3) and the conductor (11).

Description

IRONING DEVICE

The invention relates to an ironing device comprising pressure means, an ironing board and heating means, which are provided for the ironing board to be heated, the pressure means being provided for exerting a pressure on a tissue situated on the ironing board.

Here, ironing means a process in which heat and pressure are exerted in order to dry and to decrumple a tissue.

Up to now, ironing devices are generally known. Industrial ironing machines comprise an ironing bed (likewise called a vat) and an ironing cylinder. The ironing bed is heated and the tissue is moved forward between the bed and the ironing cylinder in order to be ironed. In this manner an ironing machine or a mangle is described in EP 1 225 266, which is provided with an ironing bed and an ironing cylinder, the ironing bed encircling a part of the circumference of the ironing cylinder and the ironing bed being made of several parts. This may be necessary when such an ironing bed is used as a stuffing press sectional part and therefore large dimensions are required.

In DE 37 43 000 an ironing bed for a mangle of an ironing machine is described, in which heating bodies are provided in pre-formed recesses of the ironing bed. The edges of these recesses being provided with maintaining elements formed in one piece with the edge and foldable round pre- mounted heating bodies.

The disadvantage of these ironing devices is that by providing heating bodies in recesses in the ironing bed, there is no uniform distribution of heat over the ironing bed.

A solution for this drawback is already referred to in DE 101 48 791. In there a mangle is described, in which the ironing bed is provided with groove shaped recesses in the longitudinal direction, in which bar shaped heating bodies, for heating the ironing bed, are provided. Here a heating bar is provided next to the heating bodies in order to obtain a heating of the ironing bed as uniform as possible.

The problem with this design is that because of the presence of air between the heating bodies/heating bars and the ironing bed there is a loss of heat. Neither is the distribution of heat of an ideal nature. A further disadvantage of such a design is that high capacities are required for the ironing bed to be heated, more especially between 15 and 20 kW. To reach such capacities a high connection value is required and a special cabin has to be provided, because the normal electric power supply does not allow for such capacities.

An other disadvantage is the time required for heating and cooling down the ironing bed. To heat the ironing bed a warming up period of 15 to 20 minutes is required, and much time is also required to cool down again the ironing bed afterwards.

The objective of the invention is to provide an ironing device not having the disadvantages mentioned above. A secondary objective of the invention is to provide an ironing device in which: time for warming up and cooling down is short; the connection value is low; there are practically no losses of heat; production costs are low; there is an almost direct contact between the ironing bed and the resistance.

These objectives of the invention are obtained by providing an ironing device, comprising pressure means, an ironing board and heating means which are provided for the ironing board to be heated, the pressure means being provided to exert a pressure on a tissue, which is situated on the ironing board, but where the heating means comprise a heating surface situated against the ironing board.

This has the advantage that there is an optimal uniform distribution of heat with respect to the ironing board.

In a preferred embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, the heating surface comprises a conductor and an isolating layer, situated between the ironing board and the conductor.

This has the advantage that there is a very close contact between the conductor and the ironing board.

In a preferred embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, the heating surface comprises a conductor situated between two isolating layers.

Preferably the heating surface is flexible.

In this manner the heating surface will be able to adapt itself completely to the shape of the ironing board, because of which a presence of air between the ironing bed and the heating surface will be avoided.

In an advantageous embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, the isolating layers consist of a polymer. More preferably, said polymer is a silicon.

In a preferred embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, the heating surface is a heating mat which is composed of a wire conductor provided between two layers of hot vulcanized glass fibre reinforced silicon.

In a preferred ironing device according to the invention, said heating mat has a capacity of 0,5 to 2 W/cm².

More preferably, said heating mat has a capacity of 0,88 W/cm².

Another disadvantage of the known designs of ironing devices mentioned above, is that the measurement of the temperature does not occur in an adequate manner. By providing heating bodies in a recess in the ironing bed and because the temperature sensor is provided on these heating bodies, the temperature sensor is far away from the ironing board, because of which there may be a temperature difference of up to 15° C between the temperature sensor and the ironing surface .

A secondary objective of the invention is to provide an ironing device in which the of temperature may be measured in an adequate manner.

This objective is attained by providing an ironing device as described above, but the heating surface being provided with a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heating surface .

Because the heating surface is thin and lies closely against the ironing board, it is possible to obtain better results when measuring the temperature of the ironing surface, and a maximum temperature difference of 2° C is reached.

In a preferred embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, the ironing board is flexible.

In a more preferred embodiment of an ironing device according to the invention, an eccentric is provided for determining and adapting the pressure exerted by the ironing board on the pressure means .

The invention will now be further explained by means of the following detailed description of a preferred ironing device according to this invention. The intention of this description is exclusively to give a clarifying example and to indicate further advantages and particularities of this invention, and therefore may not be interpreted as a restriction of the field of application of the invention or of the patent rights claimed in the claims.

In this detailed description, reference is made, by means of reference numbers, to the attached drawings, in which: figure 1 represents a cross section of an ironing device according to the invention; figure 2 is a perspective view of a heating mat according to the invention; figure 3 is a perspective view of an ironing bed according to the invention; - figure 4 is a detailed representation of the encircled part as indicated in figure 3.

An ironing device (1) according to the invention, as shown in figure 1, comprises substantially pressure means (2) in the form of an ironing cylinder, an ironing board (3) , in professional terms called the ironing bed, and warming up means to heat the ironing bed (3) . The tissue (6) to be ironed enters between the ironing cylinder (2) and the ironing bed (3) and is ironed in his manner.

The invention may be attributed more specifically to the manner in which these heating means are designed. The heating means comprise a heating surface lying against the ironing board (3) , this heating surface having a conductor and an isolating layer, situated between the ironing board (3) and the conductor. As shown in figure 2, in this embodiment a conductor wire (11) is situated between two isolating layers (12a, 12b) . The wire conductor (11) here is in copper and the isolating layers (12a, 12b) consist of a polymer, more particularly a silicon. This silicon is glass fibre reinforced and vulcanized. Besides silicon, also polyester, kapton, mica and other materials are suitable.

Therefore the heating surface is carried out as a flexible heating mat (10) . The heating mat (10) has a capacity of 0,5 to 2 W/cm², preferably of 0,88 W/cm².

As shown in figure 3, the heating mat (10) is situated inside the ironing bed (3) . The ironing bed (3) is flexible and built up from two smooth metal plates (4a, 4b) , between which the heating mat (10) is provided, as represented in figure 4. All the same, the ironing bed (3) may be carried out being not flexible. By providing such a heating mat

(10) , the plates (4a, 4b) need not to be finished on the side where the heating mat (10) is situated. Because the heating mat (10) is flexible, it takes the form of the ironing bed (3) , because of which ^• there will be no air between the two metal plates (4a, 4b) and the heating mat

(10) . It so happens that the presence of air causes a great loss of heat .

The temperature of the heating mat (10) and therefore of the ironing bed (3) too, is measured by means of a temperature sensor (13) provided on the heating mat (10) . Because of the small dimensions of the heating mat (10) as its thickness is concerned, the temperature of the heating mat (10) is representative for the temperature of the ironing bed (3) .

There is a maximum difference of 2° C, where in the known designs differences of 10 to 15° C are possible. Because of the minimal thickness of the heating mat (10) , also the cooling down time of the heating mat (10) is quite a bit shorter than that of the known designs.

Furthermore, a sensor (15) is provided on the heating mat (10) for electric power supply to the wire conductor.

With this heating mat (10) it is possible to heat the ironing bed (3) from 20° C to 180° C at a warming up time of 2 minutes, the capacity being a good deal lower than needed for the known designs .

An additional advantage is that providing a heating mat (10) between the two plates (14a, 14b) of the ironing bed (3) will result in low production costs.

The pressure exerted by the ironing bed (3) on the ironing cylinder (2) is determined and adapted by means of an eccentric (5), as represented in figure 1. The eccentric (5) is driven by a motor and causes the ironing bed (3) to be pressed against the ironing cylinder (2) .

All the same, this pressure regulation may also be carried out with the help of pneumatic or hydraulic means.

Claims

Ironing device, comprising pressure means (2), an ironing board (3) and heating means (10) which are provided for the ironing board (3) to be heated, the pressure means (2) being provided for exerting a pressure on a tissue (6) situated on the ironing board (3) , characterized in that the heating means (10) comprise a heating surface lying against the ironing board (3) .

Ironing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating surface (10) comprises a conductor (11) and an isolating layer (12a) situated between the ironing board (3) and the conductor (11) .

Ironing device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the heating surface (10) comprises a conductor (11) situated between two isolating layers (12a, 12b) .

Ironing device according to anyone of the claims 1 up to and including 3 , characterized in that the heating surface (10) is flexible.

Ironing device according to anyone of the claims 2 up to and including 4, characterized in that the isolating layers (12a, 12b) consist of a polymer.

Ironing device according to claim 5, characterized in that said polymer is a silicon.

Ironing device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating surface is a heating mat (10) composed of a wire conductor (11) , which is provided between two layers (12a, 12b) of hot vulcanized glass fibre reinforced silicon.

Ironing device according to claim 7, characterized in that said heating mat (10) has a capacity of 0,5 to 2 W/cm².

Ironing device according to claim 8, characterized in that said heating mat (10) has a capacity of 0,88

W/cm².

Ironing device according to anyone of the preceding claims 1 up to 9, characterized in that the heating surface (10) is provided with a temperature sensor (13) to measure the temperature of the heating surface (10) .

Ironing device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ironing board (3) is flexible.

Ironing device according to claim 11, characterized in that an eccentric is provided for determining and adapting the pressure exerted by the flexible ironing board (3) on the pressure means (2) .