|
(11) | EP 3 168 360 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | LIGHT-WEIGHT IRONING BOARD |
| (57) The present disclosure relates to an ironing board (1) comprising an ironing board
top (3), and a leg frame (5) arranged to support the ironing board top (3). The ironing
board top (3) is composed of corrugated board.
|
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to ironing boards having an ironing board top and a leg frame for supporting the ironing board top.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Ironing boards typically have an ironing board top that is provided with a heat-resistant ironing board cover, and a leg frame attached to the ironing board top.
[0003] Ironing board tops have traditionally been made of chipboard. Although more expensive than chipboard, nowadays expanded metal is the most common material used for making ironing board tops because steam is allowed to pass through the grid formed by the expanded metal.
SUMMARY
[0004] Ironing board tops made of chipboard and expanded metal are relatively heavy. Handling of ironing boards may therefore be difficult for some users.
[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to solve or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.
[0006] There is hence provided an ironing board comprising an ironing board top, and a leg frame arranged to support the ironing board top, wherein the ironing board top is composed of corrugated board.
[0007] It has been realised that corrugated board is able to provide a sufficient mechanical withstand strength for an ironing board top. Corrugated board is lighter than both chipboard and expanded metal. The total weight of the ironing board may thereby be made less than in existing solutions. This facilitates the handling of the ironing board.
[0008] In addition to the benefit of better user-friendliness due to the reduced weight, lower weight is also advantageous during shipping, as the environmental footprint will be reduced.
[0010] According to one embodiment the corrugated board comprises two liner layers and a fluting layer.
[0011] According to one embodiment the corrugated board comprises three liner layers and two fluting layers.
[0012] According to one embodiment the corrugated board comprises four liner layers and three fluting layers.
[0017] According to one embodiment the corrugated board has a moisture barrier. The moisture barrier prevents moisture from permeating through it, and thus prevents moisture from being absorbed by the corrugated board. Steam irons may thereby be used together with the ironing board.
[0018] According to one embodiment the moisture barrier is provided on the ironing side of the corrugated board.
[0019] According to one embodiment the moisture barrier is a lamination of a water repellent material.
[0020] According to one embodiment the lamination comprises one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, aluminium, and polyurethane.
[0022] One embodiment comprises rails attached to the bottom surface of the ironing board top, which rails extend along the longitudinal direction of the ironing board top to thereby provide support of the ironing board top.
[0024] Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The specific embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of an ironing board;
Fig. 2 schematically shows a cross-section of an ironing board top;
Fig. 3 schematically shows a cross-section of an ironing board top covered by an ironing board cover; and
Fig. 4 schematically shows a view from below of an example of an ironing board, with the leg frame disassembled.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplifying embodiments are shown. The inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.
[0027] The present disclosure relates to an ironing board that has an ironing board top that is composed of corrugated board.
[0028] Fig. 1 shows an example of an ironing board 1 of this type. The ironing board 1 comprises an ironing board top 3 and a leg frame 5 arranged to support the ironing board top 3.
[0029] The ironing board top 3 defines an ironing board surface in the sense that ironing is performed on the ironing board top 3. The ironing board top 3 hence supports the iron during ironing. The ironing board top 3 may however normally be covered by a heat-resistant ironing board cover when the ironing board 1 is in use.
[0030] The ironing board top 3 is composed of corrugated board. The ironing board top 3 is hence made of corrugated board. The corrugated board is according to one variation at least 3 mm thick, preferably at least 4 mm thick. The corrugated board may according to some variations be at least 5 mm, thick, at least 10 mm thick or at least 13 mm thick. The corrugated board may for example advantageously be in the range 4 mm to 16 mm.
[0031] The corrugated board is composed of liner layers and at least one fluting layer. Fig. 2 shows an example of an ironing board top 3 made of corrugated board that has two liner layers 3a, 3b and a fluting layer 3c arranged between the two liner layers 3a, 3b.
[0032] The corrugated board could according to some variations be made of more than two liner layers and one fluting layer, for example three liner layers and two fluting layers, or four liner layer and three fluting layers. The liner layers and the fluting layers are thus arranged in an alternating manner thereby forming the corrugated board.
[0033] One or more liner layers may for example be made of kraft paper in order to provide additional strength. According to one variation all of the liner layers may be made of kraft paper.
[0034] According to one variation one or more liner layers may comprise at least 50% virgin fibre, such as at least 75% virgin fibre, such as at least 90% virgin fibre, or 100% virgin fibre.
[0035] According to one variation one or more fluting layers may comprise at least 50% virgin fibre, such as at least 75% virgin fibre, such as at least 90% virgin fibre.
[0036] In order to allow steam ironing, the corrugated board may according to one variation be provided with a moisture barrier. The moisture barrier is provided on an ironing side of the ironing board top 3, i.e. the top side of the ironing board top 3. The corrugated board may hence be protected from moisture resulting from steam ironing. The moisture barrier may for example be a lamination comprising one of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyester, aluminium, and polyurethane (PU). According to another example the moisture barrier may be made by means of a coating, such as a powder coating.
[0037] Another possibility for protecting the ironing board top 3 from moisture is to use an ironing board cover that is provided with a moisture barrier. To this end, the ironing board 1 may according to one variation comprise an ironing board cover 7, as shown in Fig. 3. The ironing board cover 7 is arranged to cover the ironing board top 3 and includes a moisture barrier 7c. Steam irons may thus be used with the ironing board, even in variations in which the corrugated board is not provided with a moisture barrier.
[0038] The ironing board cover 7 could optionally also include a heat resistant layer 7a, forming a top layer. Moreover, the ironing board cover 7 could additionally also include a porous layer 7b arranged between the heat resistant layer 7a and the moisture barrier 7c.
[0039] The leg frame 5 may according to one variation be attached directly to the ironing board top 3. The leg frame 5 may for example be attached to the ironing board top 3 by means of gluing, rivets or by means of screws.
[0040] With reference to Fig. 4, according to one variation, the ironing board 1 comprises rails 9a, 9b extending along the longitudinal direction of the ironing board top 3. For reasons of clarity, the leg frame is not shown in this figure. The rails 9a, 9b may according to one variation extend from one short end 11a of the ironing board top 3 to the opposite short end 11b of the ironing board top 3. The rails 9a, 9b may thus according to one example extend from the tip, or front end, to the tail end of the ironing board top 3. The rails could however according to one variation extend only along a portion of the longitudinal extension of the ironing board top. The rails could for example extend along only a front portion of the ironing board top, i.e. towards the tip.
[0041] Preferably, each rail 9a, 9b extends on a respective side of the central longitudinal axis A of the ironing board top 3. The rails 9a, 9b can thus provide a symmetric support of the ironing board top 3 with respect to the central longitudinal axis A. The rails 9a, 9b may be attached to the ironing board top 3 for example by means of at least one of glue, rivets and screws.
[0042] The rails 9a, 9b are made of a material with high mechanical withstand strength, for example metal or plastic. The rails 9a, 9b may thus act as support members for ironing board top 3. Moreover, the leg frame 5 may according to one variation be mounted to the rails 9a, 9b, or to a support arrangement partly formed by the rails.
[0043] In variations of the ironing board that include the rails 9a, 9b, the ironing board may additionally be of the type that has adjustable height. The height of the ironing board top 3 may in this case be adjusted according to any known type of leg frame adjustment mechanism. The ironing board could however also be of the type that provides a fixed height. Moreover, according to some variations, the ironing board could be a table top ironing board, with or without rails.
[0044] The inventive concept has mainly been described above with reference to a few examples. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the appended claims.
1. An ironing board (1) comprising:
an ironing board top (3), and
a leg frame (5) arranged to support the ironing board top (3),
wherein the ironing board top (3) is composed of corrugated board.
2. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugated board comprises
two liner layers (3a, 3b) and a fluting layer (3c).
3. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugated board comprises
three liner layers (3a, 3b) and two fluting layers (3c).
4. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugated board comprises
four liner layers (3a, 3b) and three fluting layers (3c).
5. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the corrugated
board is at least 3 mm thick.
6. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the corrugated board
is at least 5 mm thick.
7. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the corrugated board
is at least 10 mm thick.
8. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the corrugated board
is at least 13 mm thick.
9. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the corrugated
board has a moisture barrier.
10. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the moisture barrier is provided
on the ironing side of the corrugated board.
11. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the moisture barrier is
a lamination of a water repellent material.
12. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lamination comprises one
of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, aluminium, and polyurethane.
13. The ironing board (1) as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the moisture barrier is
a coating.
14. The ironing board (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising rails
(9a, 9b) attached to the bottom surface of the ironing board top (3), which rails
(9a, 9b) extend along the longitudinal direction of the ironing board top (3) to thereby
provide support of the ironing board top (3).
15. The ironing board (3) as claimed in any of claims 2-14, wherein at least one liner
layer (3a, 3b) is composed of kraft paper.