(19)
(11) EP 2 511 416 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
19.03.2014 Bulletin 2014/12

(21) Application number: 11466007.9

(22) Date of filing: 14.04.2011
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
D06F 71/04(2006.01)

(54)

Vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer

Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel

Dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur pour machine plate à repasser du linge


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(43) Date of publication of application:
17.10.2012 Bulletin 2012/42

(73) Proprietor: Primus CE, s.r.o.
742 58 Pribor (CZ)

(72) Inventors:
  • Odersky, Michal
    74221 Koprivnice (CZ)
  • Glac, Antonin
    73701 Karvina (CZ)

(74) Representative: Malusek, Jiri 
Kania, Sedlak, Smola Mendlovo namesti 1 a
603 00 Brno
603 00 Brno (CZ)


(56) References cited: : 
ES-A2- 2 041 564
US-A- 3 667 143
JP-A- 7 328 294
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    Bakground of the invention



    [0001] The invention concerns the vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer.

    State of the art



    [0002] Plenty of vapour, which is generated during ironing inside of a flatwork ironer demands to be continuously and sufficiently sucked. From the state of the art is known the solution, where a dense vaned fan is placed inside one of the side bearing columns of the flatwork ironer.

    [0003] Such suction method is described in ES 2041564. Hot air is sucked from an area above an ironing roller by two longitudinal suction tubes and afterwards it is led into the space inside of columns on the sides of the flatwork ironer. Afterwards the hot air is discharged from the buttom of that space into a exhaust chimney. Said system has many disadvantages. Due to the side suction of the vapour from the longitudinal suction tubes, there is no technological possibility to achive efficient continuous suction of the vapour along the whole lenght of the flatwork ironer. Another problem arises due to the vertical placing of the fan inside the columns. Arrangement of the fan inside the column demands its small size and so to keep intense suction performance it is necessary to instal a radial fan with forwards bent vanes. Densely arranged vanes are lower effective and louder. Such fan to be choked by small fibrous particles, which are emitted both from ironed clothes and from feeding strips during ironing. The large number of particles choke the densely vaned fan, which leads to the reduction of its effectivity. Because of that it is necessary to supply the suction system with filtres, which have to be however periodically cleaned. This solution gives additional requirements for the operator and it increases demands for the maintenance.

    [0004] In JP 7328294 a method of vapour suction from the inner area of the flatwork ironer is presented, which is performed by two four-vanes fans, which are placed vertically at the bottom of the front wall of the machine. The disadvantage of the solution is the lack of direct extraction of the vapour from the area above the ironing cylinders, where the vapour concentration is the greatest. Another disadvantage is blowing of the hot air directly onto the operator's legs.

    [0005] In ES 8702963 the flatwork ironer provided by vertical fans at the rear side of the machine is presented. Even here, however, the sufficiently intensive and uniform suction of the vapour from the area above the ironing cylinders is missing. The lack of it is compensated by higher performance of the fans.

    [0006] The aim of the invention is to disclose the vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer, which provides sufficiently intensive and uniform suction and simultaneously limits the complexity of the suction equipment.

    Feature of the invention



    [0007] The above mentioned disadvantages are considerably eliminated by use of the vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer comprising a suction chamber provided by neighbouring suction openings placed in the line on the chamfering bottom side of the longitudinal suction chamber and coprising a fan, where it further consists of the streamleading web, the web is connected by its upper opening to the bottom opening of the suction chamber and the web is connected by its bottom opening to the guiding cover, whereas the guiding cover rests on the rear lower hollow longitudinal crossbar and closely overlaps the opened upper side of the fan box with fan opening, in which the fan with vertikal axe of its rotation is placed, whereas rear lower longitudinal crossbar is provided by a chimney outlet.

    [0008] In an advantageous embodiment the suction openings are bigger on the side parts of the longitudinal suction chamber than in the middle of it.

    [0009] In another advantageous embodiment the outlet in the rear lower longitudinal crossbar is provided as the side outlet.

    [0010] In another advantageous embodiment the outlet in the rear lower longitudinal crossbar is provided as the rear outlet.

    [0011] In another advantageous embodiment the guiding cover and the streamleading web are situated in the middle of the length of the flatwork ironer.

    Description of the drawings



    [0012] The invention will be further explained by using the drawings, in which Fig. 1 presents the view of the vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer according to the invention, which is placed in the frame of the flatwork ironer shown there in phantom, Fig. 2 presents the device according to the invention in the general detail, Fig. 3 presents the front view of the fan box with the fan and the rear longitudinal crossbar, Fig. 4 presents the rear view of the fan box with the fan and the rear longitudinal crossbar provided by side outlet and Fig. 5 presents the rear view of the fan box with the fan and the rear longitudinal crossbar provided by rear outlet.

    Preferred embodiments of the invention



    [0013] In Fig. 1 a vapour suction device 1 for the flatwork ironer 2 according to the invention is presented, which is placed in the middle of a flatwork ironer 2, shown in phantom, between the side columns 3 and 4. At the bottom of the flatwork ironer 2 are shown the connecting elements of the whole structure, namely the lower longitudinal front crossbar 5 and the lower longitudinal rear crossbar 6. Among them is placed the fan box 7 with an fan 8.

    [0014] In Fig. 2 the detail of the vapour suction device 1 is presented, which comprising a longitudinal suction chamber 9 provided with longitudinal openings 10. Into the longitudinal suction chamber 9 a streamleading web 12 is connected by its upper opening 11 and by bottom opening 13 the streamleading web 12 is connected with a guide cover 14. The guide cover 14 rests on the rear longitudinal crossbar 6 and closely overlaps the upper side of the fan box 7 with the fan opening 15.

    [0015] The fan box 7 with the fan 8 is connected to the lower rear longitudinal crossbar 6, which connects the side columns 3, 4 of the flatwork ironer 2, namely in the middle of its length. This is shown in Fig. 3. The streamleading web 12 is rectangular, but it is possible to imagine a different shape. The streamleading web 12 together with the guide cover 14 forms the L-shape.

    [0016] The longitudinal suction chamber 9 is provided by suction openings 10 placed in the line on the chamfering bottom side of the longitudinal suction chamber 9. The openings 10 are bigger on the side parts of the longitudinal suction chamber 9 than in the middle of it, to improve the quality of the uniform intensity of suction. Suction which is indicated by an arrow 17 is uniform along the whole length of the longitudinal suction chamber 9, because less suction on the side parts of the longitudinal suction chamber 9 is compensated by larger size of the openings 10. Conversely the suction intensity of the openings 10 placed in the middle part of the longitudinal suction chamber 9 is limited there by smaller size of the openings 10.

    [0017] The longitudinal suction chamber 9 is intended not just to suck the vapour, but also to form the upper crossbar of the flatwork ironer 2.

    [0018] The sucked vapour is pulled due to the fan 8 into the rear lower longitudinal crossbar 6 through the inlet opening 18 in its wall. One wall of the fan box 7 is open and faced to the rear lower longitudinal crossbar 6 and follows up with the opening 18 provided on the vertical side of the rear longitudinal crossbar 6, which is orientated inside the flatwork ironer 2. The lower rear longitudinal crossbar 6 is hollow. The inlet opening 18 through the vapour lefts the fan 8 is good to see in Fig. 5

    [0019] In Fig. 3 the direction of the sucked vapour passing through the streamleading web 12 and the guide cover 14 and through the opening 15 to the fan 8 is indicated by an arrow 19. The fan 8 is partially shown in Fig. 4 and 5.

    [0020] The rear lower longitudinal crossbar 6 is provided by two outlets 20, 21 intended to be connected an unshown chimney. Fig. 4 presents the embodiment provided with side outlet 20 and Fig. 5 presents the embodiment provided with rear outlet 21, which is placed across the inlet 18. The outlet 20, 21 which is not used is covered by cover 22.

    [0021] Moreover, in the rear lower longitudinal crossbar 6 is placed a guide element, which is made by e.g. metal plate. It is not shown in the pictures. The guide element improves guiding of the exhausted vapour to the outlet 20 or to the outlet 21 according to that, which outlet 20, 21 is through and which one is covered by cover 22.

    [0022] Above described embodiment of the vapour suction device 1 for the flatwork ironer 2 allows to use the fan 8 with backwards bent vanes, which has larger diameter and lower number of the big aerodinamicaly shaped vanes with big distance between the vanes, which is low-demanding for its maintenance in a comparison to the prior art, due to absence of the filters as well as it has a positive influence on effectivity and loudness.

    [0023] Another advantage is the ability to offer to customers two possibilities of exhaust chimney connection, which makes the vapour suction device 1 more variable and user-friendly.

    [0024] In the case of using of the vapour suction device for the flatwork ironer with gas heating, an outlet of burnt gas from the combustion chamber of the gas heating is led into the guide cover 14 so that the burnt gas is led horizontally and simultaneously tangential to the external diameter of the fan 8 according to the turning direction of the fan 8 to the fan box 7. The mixture of the burnt gas and vapour is created before the inlet into the fan 8. Afterwards that mixture is blown out through the exhaust chimney. The tangential inlet of the heat burnt gas simultaneous protects overheating of the rotor of the drive of the fan 8.


    Claims

    1. Vapour suction device (1) for a flatwork ironer comprising a suction chamber (9) provided by neighbouring suction openings (10) placed in the line on the chamfering bottom side of the longitudinal suction chamber and comprising a fan (8) characterized in that, it further consists of a streamleading web (12), connected by its upper opening (11) to the bottom opening of the suction chamber (9) and its bottom opening (13) to a guiding cover (14), whereas said guiding cover (14) rests on a rear lower hollow longitudinal crossbar (6) and closely overlaps the opened upper side of a fan box (7) with a fan opening (15), in which the fan (8) with a vertikal axe of its rotation is placed, whereas said rear lower longitudinal crossbar (6) is provided with a chimney outlet.
     
    2. Vapour suction device according to the claim 1, characterized in that, said suction openings (10) are bigger on the side parts of the longitudinal suction chamber (9) than in the middle of it.
     
    3. Vapour suction device according to the claim 1, characterized in that, the outlet in the rear lower longitudinal crossbar (6) is provided as a side outlet (20).
     
    4. Vapour suction device according to the claim 1, characterized in that, the outlet in the rear lower longitudinal crossbar (6) is provided as a rear outlet (21).
     
    5. Flatwork ironer (2) having a vapour suction device according to the claim 1, characterized in that, the guiding cover (14) and the streamleading web (12) are situated in the middle of the length of the flatwork ironer (2).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel bestehend aus einer Saugrohr, die auf ihrer schrägen unteren Seite mit nebeneinander in einer Linie angeordneten Saugöffnungen versehen ist und aus einem Ventilator, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie weiter aus einer Ableitungsstehrohr (12) besteht, die über eine obere Öffnung (11) zu einer unteren Öffnung der Saugrohr (9) angeschlossen ist, und weiter ist sie mit ihrer unteren Öffnung (13) mit einem Deckel (14) verbunden, wobei der Deckel (14) von oben auf einen hinteren horizontalen Unterträger (6) anliegt und dichtend die offene Seite eines Ventilatorsboxes (7) mit einer Ventilatorsöffnung (15) überdeckt, wobei in dem Ventilatorsbox (7) ein Ventilator (8) mit einer vertikalen Rotationsaxis gelagert ist, wobei der hintere horizontale Unterträger (6) mit einem Kaminausgang versehen ist.
     
    2. Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel nach dem Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Saugöffnungen (10) auf den Rändern der horizontalen Saugrohr (9) größer als in ihrer Mitte sind.
     
    3. Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel nach dem Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Ausgang im hinteren horizontalen Unterträger (6) als Seitenaugang (20) durchgeführt ist.
     
    4. Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel nach dem Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Ausgang im hinteren horizontalen Unterträger (6) als Hinteraugang (20) durchgeführt ist.
     
    5. Dampfsaugvorrichtung für Muldenmangel nach dem Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Dampfsaugvorrichtung (1) in der Mittte der Länge des Muldenmangel angeordnet ist.
     


    Revendications

    1. Une dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur (1) aspirant du milieu de la machine plate à repasser du linge, consiste d'une chambre d'aspiration (9) fourni par des ouvertures d'aspiration adjacents (10) placés dans la ligne sur le côté inférieur chanfreiné de la chambre d'aspiration longitudinale et comprenant d'un ventilateur caractérisé en ce que, il consiste en outre de la bande de guidage (12), la bande (12) est reliée par son ouverture supérieure (11) avec l'ouverture inférieure de la chambre d'aspiration (9) et la bande (12) est reliée par son ouverture inférieure (13) avec le couvercle de guidage (14), tandis que le couvercle de guidage (14) repose sur la colonne longitudinale arrière inférieure creuse (6) et recouvre près du côté supérieur ouvert de la boîte de ventilateur (7) avec l'ouverture du ventilateur (15), dans lequel le ventilateur (8) avec l'axe vertical de sa rotation est placé, alors que la colonne arrière longitudinal inférieur (6) est fourni par une sortie de cheminée.
     
    2. Une dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que, les ouvertures d'aspiration (10) sont plus grandes sur les parties latérales de la chambre d'aspiration longitudinale (9) que dans le milieu de celui-ci.
     
    3. Une dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que, la sortie de la colonne arrière inférieure longitudinale (6) est prévu comme la sortie latérale (20).
     
    4. Une dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que, la sortie de la colonne arrière inférieure longitudinale (6) est prévu comme la sortie arrière (21).
     
    5. Une dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que, le dispositif d'aspiration de vapeur (1) est placé au milieu de la longueur de la machine plate à repasser du linge (2).
     




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    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description