Fast heat/fast cool iron with steam boiler
View Patent ↗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.
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;
providing the soleplate with 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
wherein the first, second, and third adhesive layers are distinct and discrete layers from the first and second insulating films; and
wherein the first and second adhesive layers are two separate adhesive layers adhering to the first and second sides of the heater element, respectively.
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 simultaneously:
heating a soleplate of the iron to a first temperature by heating a plurality of independently controlled heating zones; 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 , 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.
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 energized by a relatively lesser amount.
16. 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.
17. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:
a heater element; and
a soleplate comprising a first insulating film adhered to a first side of the 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;
wherein the first, second, and third adhesive layers are distinct and discrete layers from the first and second insulating films; and
wherein the first and second adhesive layers are two separate adhesive layers adhering to the first and second sides of the heater element, respectively.
18. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the soleplate comprises a polyimide material.
19. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the heater element is integrated with the soleplate.
20. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the heater element is proximate the soleplate.
21. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the heater element comprises a foil.
22. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the heater element comprises a thickness smaller than ⅙ a width.
23. A device according to claim 17 , 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.
24. A device according to claim 17 , wherein the heater element is an infrared source.
25. A device according to claim 17 , further comprising a rib in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the rib structurally supports the soleplate.
26. A device according to claim 17 , further comprising a backing in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the backing structurally supports the soleplate.
27. A device according to claim 17 , 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.
28. A device according to claim 17 , 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.
29. A device according to claim 17 , 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.
30. A device according to claim 17 , further comprising a battery power supply in electrical communication with the heater element, wherein the device is a cordless device.
31. 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;
wherein the soleplate comprises a first insulating film adhered to a first side of the soleplate heater element via a first adhesive layer, a first side of a second insulating film adhered to a second side of the soleplate 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 layers;
wherein the first, second, and third adhesive layers are distinct and discrete layers from the first and second insulating films; and
wherein the first and second adhesive layers are two separate adhesive layers adhering to the first and second sides of the heater element, respectively.
32. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the soleplate comprises a polyimide material.
33. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the soleplate heater element is integrated with the soleplate.
34. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the soleplate heater element is proximate the soleplate.
35. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the soleplate heater element is a foil.
36. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the soleplate heater element comprises a thickness smaller than ⅙ a width.
37. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
38. A device according to claim 31 , wherein the heater element is an infrared source.
39. A device according to claim 31 , further comprising a rib in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the rib structurally supports the soleplate.
40. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
41. A device according to claim 31 , further comprising a backing in mechanical communication with the soleplate, wherein the backing structurally supports the soleplate.
42. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
43. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
44. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
45. A device according to claim 31 , 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.
46. A device according to claim 31 , further comprising a battery power supply in electrical communication with the soleplate heater element and the boiler heater element, wherein the device is a cordless device.
47. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:
a soleplate comprising a steam hole;
a steam boiler in fluid communication with the steam hole of the soleplate;
a heater for heating both the soleplate and the steam boiler;
an insulating layer between the heater and the soleplate; and
a soleplate temperature control that controls the thermal capabilities of the insulating layer to control the insulating capacity of the insulating layer.
48. A device according to claim 47 , wherein the soleplate temperature control allows independent temperature control of the soleplate and the steam boiler.
49. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:
a heater element;
an ironing plate;
a first insulating layer adhered to a first side of the heater element via a first adhesive layer;
a second insulating layer having:
a first side adhered to a second side of the heater element via a second adhesive layer, and
a second side adhered to the ironing plate via a third adhesive layer;
wherein the first, second, and third adhesive layers are distinct and discrete layers from the first and second insulating films; and
wherein the first and second adhesive layers are two separate adhesive layers adhering to the first and second sides of the heater element, respectively.
50. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:
an ironing plate;
a heater element having a first side facing toward the ironing plate and a second side facing away from the ironing plate;
a first insulating layer positioned between the ironing plate and the first side of the heater element; and
a second insulating layer positioned adjacent the second side of the heater element facing away from the ironing plate;
wherein the heater element comprises an elongated flat strand arranged in an undulating manner to form one continuous, electrically resistant, heat generating coil.
51. A device for removing wrinkles from fabric, the device comprising:
an ironing plate;
a heater element having a first side facing toward the ironing plate and a second side facing away from the ironing plate;
an insulating layer adhered to the second side of the heater element facing away from the ironing plate;
wherein the heater element comprises an elongated flat strand arranged in an undulating manner to form one continuous, electrically resistant, heat generating coil.