JPH0154080B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an iron for general household use.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY Conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, this type of iron has a base 2 having a heater 1 and an iron that is placed in a horizontal position for ironing operation or left standing. A horizontal/vertical detection means 3 such as a mercury switch that outputs an ON or OFF signal depending on whether the iron is in the vertical position, and an ON or OFF signal that outputs an ON or OFF signal depending on the reciprocating movement of the iron when the iron is in the horizontal position for ironing operation. The static motion detection means 4, such as a mercury switch, is connected to the horizontal/vertical detection means 3 and the static motion detection means 4, and when the iron is in the horizontal and vertical state for a certain period of time, the heater is turned off. The configuration includes a control means 5 that cuts off the power to the circuit, and cuts off the power to the heater circuit for a short time (T ₁ ) when the ironing operation is stopped in the horizontal state, and for a long time (T ₂ ) when the ironing operation is stopped in the vertical state. energization to the heater circuit is cut off, and furthermore, during the ironing operation in the horizontal state, the output signal of the static motion detection means 4 changes from ON→OFF→ON→
..., so that the heater circuit was not cut off during the short time (T ₁ ).

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with such a structure, the heater circuit is only activated for a short time (T ₁ ) and a long time (T ₂ ) when the iron is installed horizontally and vertically, respectively. Since it is confirmed that the iron will be shut off, there are cases where the iron is accidentally left turned on its side after ironing, or an iron left energized vertically due to an unexpected accident is tipped over. In this case, it is not determined whether the heater circuit is cut off for a short time (T ₁ ) or for a long time (T ₂ );
In the worst case scenario, the heater will continue to be energized for a long time (T ₂ ) after the iron is left on its side, potentially scorching the floor or fibers in contact with the iron base or causing a fire. It was hot.

Therefore, the present invention uses a detection means that detects the state of the iron to detect the state in which the iron has overturned.Thereby, even if the iron is overturned due to an unexpected accident, it can be detected after a predetermined period of time. This ensures that the heater circuit is shut off.

Means for Solving the Problems The technical means of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a base heated by a heater, a control means for controlling the supply of electricity to the heater circuit, and a state of the iron. a detecting means having a movable body for detecting, the detecting means detects a horizontal resting state, a self-standing resting state, and a rolling resting state of the iron, and also detects each of the above states and turns off the heater after a predetermined period of time. It is designed to interrupt the circuit.

Effect The effect of this technical means is as follows.

That is, not only when the iron is left in a horizontal state and a free standing state, but also when the iron is left in an overturned state, the detection means detects the overturned state of the iron, the control means detects the overturned state of the iron, Since the heater circuit is shut off after a predetermined time by the control means, a high level of safety can be ensured without the risk of burning the floor or textiles or causing a fire.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

In Figures 1 to 7, reference numeral 6 indicates a base with a heater 7, and reference numeral 8 indicates whether the iron is in a horizontally stationary state for performing ironing operations, or in a vertical state where the iron is left upright, or if the iron is lying on its side. a state detecting means for detecting whether the iron is in the horizontal state and detecting the reciprocating movement of the iron when the iron is in the horizontal state; 9, in response to an output signal from the state detecting means, the iron is left in the horizontal state or in the horizontal state; This is a control means that cuts off the power to the heater circuit for a short time (T ₁ ) when the heater is left in the vertical position, and after a long time (T ₂ ) when the heater is left in the vertical position. Here, the state detection means 8 includes a case 12 having a curved groove 10 and a curved side wall 11, and a case 12 having a curved groove 10 and a curved side wall 11;
a spherical movable body 13 placed on top of the iron, and a phototransistor 14 arranged with a gap directly below the deepest and stable position of the groove 10 where the movable body 13 is stationary when the iron is in a horizontal state. The iron is comprised of a reflective photosensor 16 made of a light emitting diode 15 that always emits light when the iron is energized, and a lid 17 that prevents disturbance light from entering the reflective photosensor 16.

To explain the operation in the above configuration, when the iron is left energized in a horizontal state performing ironing operation, the movable body 13 moves to the deepest stable position of the curved groove 10 of the case 12, as shown in FIG. position, that is, the reflective photosensor 16
Since the light emitted from the light emitting diode 15 of the reflective photosensor 16 is reflected on the surface of the movable body 13 and enters the phototransistor 14, as a result, the phototransistor 14 produce maximum output. Further, when the iron is in a sideways rollover state, as shown in FIG.
3 is curved so that it is stable, so the light emitting diode 15
The light outputted from the movable body 13 is reflected by the surface of the movable body 13,
The light is incident on the phototransistor 14, and as a result, the phototransistor 14 outputs an output close to the maximum. When the iron is in the vertical position, the movable body 13 is stationary at the end of the curved groove 10 of the case 12, as shown in FIG. Since there is no reflective object directly above it, it does not return to the phototransistor 14 as reflected light.
The output of phototransistor 14 is at a minimum.

Further, when the movable body 13 moves back and forth on the curved groove 11 of the case 12 during the ironing operation, the light output from the light emitting diode 15 is reflected by the phototransistor. Sometimes I went back to 14, sometimes I didn't,
The output of the phototransistor 14 repeatedly changes from maximum to minimum over time. Here, if the output of the phototransistor 14 is electrically processed so that it is turned ON at the maximum output side and OFF at the minimum output side,
It is ON when left in the horizontal position and on its side as described above, OFF when left in the vertical position, and during ironing operation.
An output signal that repeats ON and OFF is obtained from the reflective photosensor 16. Next, upon receiving this output signal, the output signal remains ON for a short period of time (T ₁ ).
If this continues, the control means 9 will cut off the power supply to the activated heater circuit, and if the output signal remains OFF for a long certain period of time (T ₂ ), the control means 9 will operate and cut off the power supply to the heater circuit. In addition, if the output signal of the reflective photosensor 16 changes from ON to OFF before a short fixed period of time (T ₁ ) elapses, the time from the point of reversal is counted, so this OFF state will remain constant for a long time. The heater circuit is not cut off until time (T ₂ ) has elapsed. In other words, the output signal is
If the output signal continues to reverse from ON to OFF or from OFF to ON before a short fixed time (T ₁ ) elapses if it is ON or a long fixed time (T ₂ ) if it is OFF, the heater circuit The power supply to is never cut off.

Therefore, if the iron is left energized in an upright position, the power to the heater 7 will be cut off after a long certain period of time (T ₂ ), which prevents unnecessary power consumption and prevents the iron from being energized. If the heater 7 is left energized in a horizontal position or rolled over, the power to the heater 7 will be cut off after a short certain period of time (T ₁ ) has passed, which will prevent the floor surface or fibers from being burnt due to an unexpected accident. Not only can fires be prevented from occurring, but also a safe function can be provided in that the power to the heater 7 is not cut off during the ironing operation.

In addition, in the above embodiment, when the iron overturns, the movable body remains at a stable position on the curved side wall of the case, but the side wall may not be curved but may be an inclined wall that allows the movable body to have a stable position. ,
The point is that even if the iron is rolled over, the output of the state detection means should be the same as when the iron is in a horizontal state.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention uses a detection means having a movable body to detect the state of the iron to detect the horizontally stationary state, the self-standing stationary state, and the rolled stationary state, and to detect each of the above states. By detecting this and shutting off the heater circuit after a predetermined period of time, it is possible to prevent clothes, the workbench, and the floor from being scorched due to the worker's carelessness during ironing work, and also to prevent customers from visiting during ironing work. Even if the iron is left standing for a long period of time, or if the iron is forgotten to be turned off, this condition can be detected and the power can be shut off reliably, increasing safety.

Furthermore, even if the iron falls over while left unattended, the power is cut off after a predetermined period of time, thereby preventing accidents and providing a much safer iron. Moreover, the above-mentioned improvement in safety does not come at the expense of the ease of use of the iron; on the contrary, the efficiency of ironing can also be improved.
Furthermore, since the detection means uses a movable body to detect the condition, it can operate quickly in response to changes in the iron's condition, allowing for highly sensitive and accurate detection.
It is also possible to improve reliability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway vertical cross-sectional view of essential parts of an iron according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the condition detecting means, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the condition detecting means, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the state detecting means, FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the state detecting means, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the state detecting means and the heater circuit output. FIG. 8 is a cutaway vertical cross-sectional view of the main parts of a conventional iron, and FIG. 9 is a timing chart of the horizontal/vertical detection means output, static motion detection means output, and heater circuit output. 7... Heater, 6... Base, 8... Condition detection means, 9... Control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A base heated by a heater, a control means for controlling energization to the heater circuit, and a detection means having a movable body for detecting the state of the iron, and the detection means has a base heated by a heater, and the detection means has a movable body that detects the state of the iron. An iron that detects a standstill state, a standstill state, and a rollover rest state, and shuts off the heater circuit after a predetermined period of time after detecting each of the above states.