Pressing iron having a soleplate provided with a pattern of steam outlet holes

1. Pressing iron comprising: a soleplate fixed to a heating body, wherein said soleplate has a pattern of at least 200 steam outlet holes each having a passage cross section smaller than 4 mm 2 , with spacings of less than 10 mm between hole centers, said pattern of steam outlet holes being interrupted by an imperforate band having a width greater than 10 mm, which band extends over said pattern; and a steam distribution chamber for supplying steam to said steam outlet holes, said steam distribution chamber extending, on the lower face of the heating body, opposite said pattern of steam outlet holes, and wherein said band that is free of holes is in thermal contct with bearing surfaces provided on the heating body and projecting into the steam distribution chamber.

2. The pressing iron of claim 1 , wherein the surface area of said band that is free of holes is between 10 and 30% of the entire surface area of said soleplate and the surface area occupied by said pattern of steam outlet holes is at least 50% of the total surface area of said soleplate.

3. The pressing iron of claim 2 , wherein said steam distribution chamber is supplied with steam through holes opening, on the upper face of the heating body, through at least one chimney, or passage, having a beveled, or chamfered, end.

4. Pressing iron comprising:

a soleplate fixed to a heating body, wherein said soleplate has a pattern of at least 200 steam outlet holes each having a passage cross section smaller than 4 mm 2 , with spacings less than 10 mm between hole centers, said pattern of steam outlet holes being interrupted by an imperforate band having a width greater than 10 mm, which band extends over said pattern, wherein the surface area of said band that is free of holes is between 10 and 30% of the entire surface area of said soleplate and the surface area occupied by said pattern of steam outlet holes is at least 50% of the total surface area of said soleplate; and

a steam distribution chamber for supplying steam to said steam outlet holes, said steam distribution chamber extending, on the lower face of the heating body, opposite said pattern of steam outlet holes, and wherein said band that is free of holes is in thermal contact with bearing surfaces provided on the heating body and projecting into the steam distribution chamber,

wherein said pattern is composed of a central pattern portion and a peripheral pattern portion of steam outlet holes, each of said holes having a cross-sectional area of less than 4 mm 2 , said holes in each said pattern portion being disposed side-by-side with a spacing of less than 10 mm between hole centers, and said soleplate further has an intermediate zone, or band, that is free of steam outlet holes, extends between the central pattern and the peripheral pattern, surrounds the central pattern and has a width greater than 10 mm in a direction between said central pattern portion and said peripheral pattern portion.

5. The pressing iron of claim 4 , wherein said central pattern portion and said peripheral pattern portion are substantially concentric to one another.

6. The pressing iron of claim 5 , wherein said steam distribution chamber has a peripheral chamber part substantially coextensive with, and facing, said peripheral pattern portion, and a central chamber part substantially coextensive with, and facing, said central pattern portion, and said central chamber part communicates with said peripheral chamber through channels extending across said intermediate zone.

7. The pressing iron of claim 6 , wherein said soleplate is a colaminated soleplate having an exterior skin, or sheet, of stainless steel and an interior skin, or sheet, of aluminum in contact with the heating body.

8. The pressing iron of claim 7 , wherein, said peripheral pattern has one group of holes at the rear part of said soleplate that are of larger diameter than other holes of said peripheral pattern.

9. The pressing iron of claim 8 , wherein said steam outlet holes are produced by punching, or stamping.

10. The pressing iron of claim 9 , wherein said steam distribution chamber is supplied with steam through holes opening, on the upper face of the heating body, through at least one chimney, or passage, having a beveled, or chamfered, end.

11. The pressing iron of claim 1 , wherein said steam distribution chamber is supplied with steam throuqh holes opening, on the upper face of the heating body, through at least one chimney, or passage, having a beveled, or chamfered, end.

12. Pressing iron comprising: a soleplate fixed to a heating body, wherein said soleplate has a pattern of at least 200 steam outlet holes each having a passage cross section smaller than 4 mm 2 , with spacings of less than 10 mm betxeen hole centers, said pattern of steam outlet holes being interrupted by an imperforate band having a width greater than 10 mm, which band extends over said pattern, wherein said pattern is composed of a central pattern portion and a peripheral pattern portion of steam outlet holes, each of said holes having a cross-sectional area of less than 4 mm 2 , said holes in each said pattern portion being disposed side-by-side with a spacing of less than 10 mm between hole centers, and said soleplate further has an intermediate zone, or band, that is free of steam outlet holes, extends between the central pattern and the peripheral pattern, surrounds the central pattern and has a width greater than 10 mm in a direction between said central pattern portion and said peripheral pattern portion.

13. The pressing iron of claim 12 , wherein said central pattern portion and said peripheral pattern portion are substantially concentric to one another.

14. The pressing iron of claim 13 , wherein said steam distribution chamber has a peripheral chamber part substantially coextensive with, and facing, said peripheral pattern portion, and a central chamber part substantially coextensive with, and facing, said central pattern portion, and said central chamber part communicates with said peripheral chamber through channels extending across said intermediate zone.

15. The pressing iron of claim 12 , wherein, said peripheral pattern has one group of holes at the rear part of said soleplate that are of larger diameter than other holes of said peripheral pattern.

16. The pressing iron of claim 1 , wherein said soleplate is a colaminated soleplate having an exterior skin, or sheet, of stainless steel and an interior skin, or sheet, of aluminum in contact with the heating body.

17. The pressing iron of claim 1 , wherein said steam outlet holes are produced by punching, or stamping.

18. The pressing iron of claim 1 , wherein said steam distribution chamber supplies steam to all of said steam distribution holes in said soleplate.