阅读说明：本技术 熨烫设备 (Ironing equipment ) 是由 蒂埃里·拿波里 大卫·卢克 于 2019-05-29 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的熨烫设备包括熨斗(3)、供水泵(7)、蒸汽控制构件(21)以及流量控制电路(25),熨斗(3)包括蒸发室(17),供水泵(7)配置成向蒸发室供水,流量控制电路(25)连接到蒸汽控制构件(21)并且被配置为控制供水泵(7)的工作。蒸汽控制构件(21)配置成当蒸汽控制构件(21)被致动时控制激活信号到流量控制电路(25)的传送,以及流量控制电路(25)配置成当激活信号被传送到流量控制电路(25)时根据流量调节程序控制供水泵(7),流量调节程序包括一系列至少三个连续的流量调节阶段,在每个流量调节阶段期间,围绕相应的设定流量调节供水泵(7)的平均流量。(The ironing device of the invention comprises an iron (3), a water supply pump (7), a steam control means (21), and a flow control circuit (25), the iron (3) comprising an evaporation chamber (17), the water supply pump (7) being configured to supply water to the evaporation chamber, the flow control circuit (25) being connected to the steam control means (21) and being configured to control the operation of the water supply pump (7). The steam control member (21) is configured to control the transmission of the activation signal to the flow control circuit (25) when the steam control member (21) is actuated, and the flow control circuit (25) is configured to control the water supply pump (7) according to a flow regulation program when the activation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit (25), the flow regulation program comprising a series of at least three consecutive flow regulation phases during each of which the average flow of the water supply pump (7) is regulated around a respective set flow.)

1. Ironing device comprising a water tank (5), an iron (3), a water supply pump (7), a steam control means (21) and a flow control circuit (25), the iron (3) comprising an evaporation chamber (17) for generating steam, the water supply pump (7) being fluidly connected to the water tank (5) and configured to supply water to the evaporation chamber (17), the steam control means (21) being for manual actuation by a user and configured to control the supply of water to the evaporation chamber (17) when the steam control means (21) is actuated, the flow control circuit (25) being connected to the steam control means (21) and configured to control the operation of the water supply pump (7), characterized in that the steam control means (21) is configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to the flow control circuit (25) when the steam control means (21) is actuated, and the flow control circuit (25) is configured to control the water supply pump (7) when an activation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit (25) according to a flow regulation program comprising a series of at least three consecutive flow regulation phases during each of which the average flow of the water supply pump (7) is regulated around a respective set flow, the value of the set flow decreasing from one flow regulation phase to the next.

2. Ironing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said flow regulation program is configured so that the average flow of said water supply pump is reduced by at least 10% at each new flow regulation phase.

3. Ironing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said flow regulation program comprises a series of N flow regulation phases, which are consecutive and define a series of N consecutive and decreasing flow levels, N being an integer greater than or equal to 3.

4. Ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the duration of the first flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program is greater than the duration of each of the other flow regulation phases of the flow regulation program.

5. Ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the duration of the first flow regulation phase is approximately 2 to 3 seconds.

6. Ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the duration of each of said flow regulation phases, except for said first flow regulation phase, is less than 1 second.

7. The ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the last flow regulation phase of said flow regulation program continues without interruption until the water supply to said evaporation chamber is interrupted.

8. The ironing device according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the ironing device (2) is configured such that the actuation of said steam control means (21) causes the activation of said water supply pump (7) and the water supply of said evaporation chamber (17), and such that the release of said steam control means (21) causes the deactivation of said water supply pump (7) and the interruption of the water supply of said evaporation chamber (17).

9. ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the steam control member (21) is a steam control trigger.

10. Ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said flow control circuit (25) counts the water supply interruption duration (Ti) of said evaporation chamber (17) when the water supply of said evaporation chamber (17) is interrupted, and the average flow of said water supply pump (7) defined by said flow control circuit (25) when said steam control means (21) is reactivated is then a function of the water supply interruption duration (Ti) of said evaporation chamber (17).

11. The ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the iron (3) further comprises a heating resistor (15) and a heating control circuit (24), the heating resistor (15) being configured to heat the evaporation chamber (17), the heating control circuit (24) being configured to control the supply of power to the heating resistor (15), the steam control member (21) being connected to the heating control circuit (24) and being configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to the heating control circuit (24) when the steam control member (21) is actuated, and wherein the heating control circuit (24) is configured to change the supply of power to the heating resistor (15) when an activation signal is transmitted to the heating control circuit (24).

12. Ironing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the iron (3) comprises a temperature sensor (23), said temperature sensor (23) being connected to said heating control circuit (24), said heating control circuit (24) being configured to adjust the power supply of said heating resistor (15) so that the temperature at said temperature sensor (23) is around a set temperature, and wherein the value of said set temperature is automatically increased with respect to an initial set value when said steam control means (21) is actuated and controls the water supply of said evaporation chamber (17).

13. The ironing device according to claim 12, characterized in that said temperature sensor (23) is configured to determine the temperature of said evaporation chamber (17).

14. Ironing device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the value of said set temperature is automatically returned to said initial set value when the water supply to said evaporation chamber (17) is interrupted.

15. Ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that said initial set point corresponds to a reference temperature adjustable by the user.

16. Ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that said heating control circuit (24) and said flow control circuit (25) are integrated in a microprocessor (26).

17. Ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the ironing device (2) further comprises a base (4), the iron (3) being arranged on the base (4) during a non-operative phase of ironing.

18. Ironing device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the iron (3) comprises an ironing base plate (10), said ironing base plate (10) being thermally connected to said evaporation chamber (17) and being equipped with at least one steam outlet (12), said steam outlet (12) being fluidly connected to said evaporation chamber (17).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of ironing devices, in particular to ironing devices equipped with steam control means.

Background

The ironing apparatus comprises, in a known manner:

-a water tank;

-an iron comprising a vaporising chamber fluidly connected to the water tank, a heating resistor configured to heat the vaporising chamber, and an ironing base plate equipped with an ironing surface and a steam outlet opening to the ironing surface and connected to the vaporising chamber;

-a water supply pump fluidly connected to the water tank and configured to supply water to the evaporation chamber;

-a steam control trigger for manual actuation by a user and configured to control the water supply of the evaporation chamber;

-a flow control circuit connected to said steam control trigger and configured to control the operation of said water supply pump according to the position occupied by said steam control trigger; and

-a soleplate on which the iron is arranged during a non-operative phase of ironing.

Such ironing devices are more particularly configured such that the actuation of the steam control trigger causes the activation of the water supply pump and the water supply of the evaporation chamber, and such that the release of the steam control trigger causes the deactivation of the water supply pump and the interruption of the water supply of the evaporation chamber.

Thus, upon actuation of the steam control trigger by a user, water is injected into the evaporation chamber and the water evaporates in contact with the inner wall of the evaporation chamber, thereby generating a steam flow which is expelled to the outside of the iron through the steam outlet.

However, in order to avoid water saturation of the evaporation chamber and splashing of water onto the laundry to be ironed, the water supply flow to the evaporation chamber is usually very low.

Therefore, the ironing efficiency of such ironing apparatuses may not perform satisfactorily.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these drawbacks.

The technical problem underlying the present invention is, inter alia, to provide an ironing apparatus having an improved ironing efficiency while limiting the risk of water splashing onto the garments to be ironed.

To this end, the invention relates to an ironing apparatus comprising a water tank, an iron, a water supply pump, a steam control member, and a flow control circuit, the iron comprising an evaporation chamber for generating steam, the water supply pump being fluidly connected to the water tank and configured to supply water to the evaporation chamber, the steam control member being for manual actuation by a user and configured to control the supply of water to the evaporation chamber when the steam control member is actuated, the flow control circuit being connected to the steam control member and configured to control the operation of the water supply pump, characterized in that the steam control member is configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to the flow control circuit when the steam control member is actuated, and the flow control circuit is configured to control the water supply pump according to a flow regulation program when the activation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit, the flow rate adjustment procedure comprises a series of at least three successive flow rate adjustment stages, during each of which the average flow rate of the feed water pump is adjusted around a respective set flow rate, the value of the set flow rate decreasing from one flow rate adjustment stage to the next.

These arrangements allow to optimize the pumping cycle of the water supply pump according to the actuation time of the steam control member and thus to inject a maximum amount of water into the evaporation chamber, while limiting the risk of water splashing on the laundry to be ironed. Such an arrangement therefore allows to optimize the steam performance of the ironing device according to the invention and thus to increase the ironing efficiency of the ironing device.

The ironing device may also have one or more of the following features, used alone or in combination.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the average flow rate of the feed water pump during the first flow rate adjustment phase is between 100g/mn and 130g/mn, and advantageously about 112 g/mn.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the average flow rate of the water supply pump during the first flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 70% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow rate regulation program is configured such that at each new flow rate regulation phase the average flow rate of the water supply pump is reduced by at least 10%. For example, if the average flow rate of the water supply pump during the first flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 70% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump, the average flow rate of the water supply pump during the second flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 60% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump, and so on until the last flow rate adjustment phase. Such a reduction in the average flow rate of the water supply pump can be achieved by intermittently operating the water supply pump.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the value of the set flow for each flow control stage is constant and defines the corresponding flow level.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow regulation program comprises a series of N flow regulation stages, which are consecutive and define a series of N consecutive and decreasing flow levels, N being an integer greater than or equal to 3. According to one embodiment of the invention, N is equal to 7.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the duration of the first flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program is greater than the duration of each of the other flow regulation phases of the flow regulation program.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the duration of the first flow regulation phase is about 2 to 3 seconds, and preferably about 2.5 seconds.

according to one embodiment of the invention, the duration of each of the flow regulation phases, except the first flow regulation phase, is less than 1 second and preferably about 0.5 second.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the last flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program continues without interruption until the water supply to the evaporation chamber is interrupted, and in particular until the steam control means control the water supply to the evaporation chamber to be interrupted.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow rate regulation program is configured such that for an actuation duration of the steam control member of less than or equal to 200ms, the flow rate regulation program only executes the first flow rate regulation phase.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow rate regulation program is configured such that, for an actuation duration of the steam control member greater than or equal to 6s, the flow rate regulation program carries out the totality of the flow rate regulation phases.

according to one embodiment of the invention, the ironing device is configured such that the actuation of the steam control means causes the activation of the water supply pump and the water supply of the evaporation chamber, and such that the release of the steam control means causes the deactivation of the water supply pump and the interruption of the water supply of the evaporation chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam control member is a steam control trigger. Advantageously, the actuation of the steam control trigger corresponds to holding the steam control trigger at the steam control position.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow control circuit counts the water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber when the water supply to the evaporation chamber is interrupted, and the average flow rate of the water supply pump defined by the flow control circuit upon re-actuation of the steam control member (that is to say upon the first actuation of the steam control member immediately after the interruption of the water supply to said evaporation chamber) is then a function of the water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the average flow rate of the water supply pump defined by the flow control circuit when the steam control member is re-actuated is increased according to the water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow control circuit is configured such that, for a water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber of less than or equal to 1s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump defined by the flow control circuit at the time of re-actuation of the steam control means corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump during a flow regulation phase previously performed by the flow regulation program. In other words, for a water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber of less than or equal to 1s, the flow control circuit controls the water supply pump by restarting the flow rate adjustment phase previously performed by the flow rate adjustment program.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow control circuit is configured such that, for a water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber of more than 3s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump defined by the flow control circuit at the time of re-actuation of the steam control member corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump during the first flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program. In other words, for a water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber of more than 3s, the flow control circuit controls the water supply pump from the first flow rate adjustment stage of the flow rate adjustment program.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow control circuit is configured such that, for a water supply interruption duration of the evaporation chamber of between 1s and 3s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump defined by the flow control circuit upon re-actuation of the steam control member corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump during a flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program between the first flow regulation phase and a flow regulation phase previously performed by the flow regulation program.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the iron further comprises a heating resistor configured to heat the evaporation chamber and a heating control circuit configured to control the supply of power to said heating resistor, the steam control member being connected to said heating control circuit and configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to said heating control circuit when the steam control member is actuated, and wherein said heating control circuit is configured to change the supply of power to said heating resistor when the activation signal is transmitted to said heating control circuit.

Such a configuration of the ironing device allows to control the power supply of the heating resistor, in particular when the steam control means are actuated by the user. These arrangements therefore allow limiting the temperature drop of the evaporation chamber during the steam demand phase and thus ensure a rapid evaporation of the large amount of water injected into the evaporation chamber.

Thus, the ironing device allows to obtain an improved ironing efficiency compared to the ironing devices of the prior art, while limiting the risk of water splashing on the garments to be ironed.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the iron comprises a temperature sensor connected to a heating control circuit configured to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor such that the temperature at said temperature sensor is around a set temperature, and wherein the value of the set temperature is automatically increased with respect to an initial set value when the steam control member is actuated and controls the water supply to the evaporation chamber. In other words, the ironing device is configured such that when the steam control means are actuated and control the water supply to the evaporation chamber, the heating control circuit automatically increases the value of the set temperature with respect to the initial set value.

according to one embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is configured to determine the temperature of the evaporation chamber. However, the temperature sensor may be configured to determine the temperature of the ironing base plate of the iron.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the value of the set temperature is automatically returned to the initial set value when the water supply to the evaporation chamber is interrupted, and in particular when the steam control means controls the interruption of the water supply to the evaporation chamber. In other words, the ironing device is configured so that the heating control circuit automatically returns the value of the set temperature to the initial set value when the water supply to the evaporation chamber is interrupted. These arrangements allow to avoid overheating of the evaporation chamber of the iron and of the ironing base plate, in particular when steam generation is not required, and thus limit the risk of deterioration of the garment being ironed due to an excessively high temperature of the ironing base plate.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the initial set point corresponds to a reference temperature adjustable by the user. These settings allow the user to adjust the set temperature outside the steam generation phase, for example according to the laundry to be ironed.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow control circuit is configured to control the operation of the feed water pump in dependence on the position or state occupied by the steam control member. Advantageously, the water supply pump is configured to supply water to the evaporation chamber when the steam control member is actuated.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the water supply pump is an electric water supply pump.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the ironing device comprises a delivery duct fluidly connecting the water tank to the evaporation chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the iron comprises a grip portion on which the steam control member is mounted.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the steam control member is movable between a rest position and a steam control position, the steam control member being configured to move to the steam control position when it is actuated by a user.

according to an embodiment of the invention, the iron comprises a force application member configured to apply a force to the steam control member to the rest position.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam control member is pivotably mounted between a rest position and a steam control position.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam control member comprises a handling portion protruding from the grip portion and located, for example, below the grip portion.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam control member is configured to control the transmission of the deactivation signal to the flow control circuit when the steam control member is released, and the flow control circuit is configured to stop the water supply pump when the deactivation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the heating control circuit and the flow control circuit are integrated in a microprocessor.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the ironing device further comprises a base on which the iron is arranged during a non-operative phase of ironing.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the water supply pump is integrated in the base.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the water tank is integrated in the base.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the iron comprises an ironing base plate thermally connected to the evaporation chamber and provided with at least one steam outlet which is fluidly connected to the evaporation chamber.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the iron comprises a heating body thermally connected to the ironing base plate and comprising an evaporation chamber. Advantageously, the heating body comprises a casting defining at least a portion of the evaporation chamber. Advantageously, the heating resistor is integrated in the casting.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the heating body comprises a closing plate resting on the casting, the evaporation chamber being delimited by the casting and by said closing plate.

Drawings

In any event, the invention will be better understood by means of the following description with reference to the schematic drawings which show, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment of the ironing apparatus.

Figure 1 is a side view of an ironing apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an iron belonging to the ironing apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the iron of fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the ironing device of figure 1.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the time evolution of the flow regulating program of the ironing device as a function of the duration of the actuation and release of the steam control member of the ironing device.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 4 show an ironing apparatus 2, the ironing apparatus 2 comprising an iron 3 and a stand 4, the iron 3 being arrangeable on the stand 4 during a non-operative stage of ironing.

The ironing device 2 further comprises a water tank 5, which water tank 5 is integrated in the base 4 and is removable, for example, and a water supply circuit, which is fluidly connected to the water tank 5. The water supply circuit comprises, in particular, a water delivery conduit 6 and a water supply pump 7, the water delivery conduit 6 fluidly connecting the water tank 5 to the iron 3, the water supply pump 7 being integrated in the stand 4 and configured to supply water from the water tank 5 to the iron 3. The water supply pump 7 is advantageously an electric water supply pump.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the iron 3 comprises a housing 8 and an ironing base plate 10, the housing 8 comprising a gripping portion 9 at an upper end thereof, the ironing base plate 10 being provided with a substantially flat ironing surface 11 and a plurality of steam outlets 12 opening onto the ironing surface 11.

As shown more particularly in fig. 3, the iron 3 also comprises a heating body 13, which heating body 13 is integrated in the lower part of the casing 8 and is thermally and mechanically connected to the ironing base plate 10. The heating body 13 comprises a casting 14, for example of aluminium, and a heating resistor 15, which heating resistor 15 is bent into a U-shape and integrated in the casting 14.

The heating body 13 also comprises a shutter 16 (visible in fig. 3) and an evaporation chamber 17 of the instantaneous evaporation type, the shutter 16 resting on the casting 14, the evaporation chamber 17 being heated by a heating resistor 15. The evaporation chamber 17 is advantageously delimited by the casting 14 and by the closing plate 16.

The heating body 13 further comprises a liquid injection opening 18, which liquid injection opening 18 is fluidly connected to the water supply pump 7 and opens into the front of the evaporation chamber 17. Thus, the water supply pump 7 is configured to supply water from the water tank 5 to the evaporation chamber 17.

The ironing device 2 further comprises a steam distribution circuit 19, which steam distribution circuit 19 is defined by the casting 14 and the closing plate 16 and fluidly connects the evaporation chamber 17 to the steam outlet 12, which enables the steam generated in the evaporation chamber 17 to flow to the steam outlet 12.

The ironing device 2 further comprises a steam control member 21, which steam control member 21 is carried by the iron 3 and is manually actuated by a user. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the steam control member 21 is in the form of a steam control trigger.

The steam control member 21 is more specifically mounted on the grip portion 9 of the iron 3. Advantageously, the steam control member 21 comprises a handling portion 22, which handling portion 22 protrudes from the grip portion 9 and is located, for example, below the grip portion.

The steam control member 21 is movable between an idle position and a steam control position and is configured to move to the steam control position when it is actuated by a user. Advantageously, the iron 3 comprises a force application member (not shown in the figures) configured to apply a force to the steam control member 21 to the rest position. The steam control member 21 may, for example, comprise a mounting portion that is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis carried by the housing 8 such that the steam control member 21 is pivotably mounted between the rest position and the steam control position.

The steam control member 21 is more specifically configured to control the activation of the water feed pump 7 and thus the water supply to the evaporation chamber 17 when the steam control member 21 is actuated by a user, and to control the deactivation of the water feed pump 7 and thus the water supply to the evaporation chamber 17 when the steam control member 21 is released by a user.

The ironing device 2 further comprises a temperature sensor 23 and a heating control circuit 24, the temperature sensor 23 being configured to determine the temperature of the soleplate 10 or of the vaporising chamber 17, the heating control circuit 24 being connected to the temperature sensor 23 and configured to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor 15 so that the temperature at the temperature sensor 23 is around a set temperature.

The steam control member 21 is advantageously connected to the heating control circuit 24 and configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to the heating control circuit 24 when the steam control member 21 is actuated by a user.

The heating control circuit 24 is particularly configured to modify the power supply of the heating resistor 15 when an activation signal is transmitted to the heating control circuit 24. Advantageously, when the steam control member 21 is activated and controls the water supply of the evaporation chamber 17, the heating control circuit 24 automatically increases the value of the set temperature with respect to an initial set value, which may advantageously correspond to a reference temperature adjustable by the user. In addition, when the steam control member 21 is released and the water supply controlling the evaporation chamber 17 is interrupted, the heating control circuit automatically returns the set temperature value to the initial set value.

The ironing device 2 further comprises a flow control circuit 25, the flow control circuit 25 being connected to the steam control member 21 and being configured to control the operation of the water supply pump 7 in dependence on the position occupied by the steam control member 21. In particular, the steam control member 21 is configured to control the transmission of an activation signal to the flow control circuit 25 when the steam control member 21 is actuated by a user and to control the transmission of a deactivation signal to the flow control circuit 25 when the steam control member 21 is released by the user, and the flow control circuit 25 is configured to start the water supply pump 7 when the activation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit 25 and to stop the water supply pump 7 when the deactivation signal is transmitted to the flow control circuit 25.

according to one embodiment of the invention, when the steam control means 21 is actuated and controls the water supply of the evaporation chamber 17, the flow control circuit 25 controls the water supply pump 7 according to a flow regulation program comprising a sequence of N flow regulation phases which are consecutive and define a consecutive sequence of N flow levels, N being an integer greater than or equal to 3, for example equal to 7.

During each flow regulation phase of the flow regulation program, the average flow of the feed water pump 7 is maintained at the respective flow level P _X during the respective predetermined duration t _X, and for each value of X comprised between 1 and N.

As seen more particularly in FIG. 5, the series of N flow regulation stages define a series of N flow levels (from P ₁ to P ₇) defined such that for each value of X between 1 and N-1, the flow level P _X+1 is less than the flow level P _X. accordingly, during different successive flow regulation stages of the flow regulation program, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 is regulated about a corresponding set flow rate, the set flow rate value decreasing from one flow regulation stage to the next.

For example, if the actuation duration Ta of the steam control member 21 is greater than the sum of the predetermined durations t ₁ to t ₆, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 is continuously reduced from the flow level P1 to P6 until the flow level P ₇ is reached, whereas if the actuation duration Ta of the steam control member 21 is greater than the predetermined duration t ₁ but less than or equal to the sum of the predetermined durations t ₁ and t ₂, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 is only reduced from the flow level P ₁ to the flow level P ₂.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the first flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 70% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump. The average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the first flow rate adjustment phase may be, for example, between 100g/mn and 130g/mn, and advantageously about 112 g/mn.

Advantageously, the flow rate regulation program is configured such that at each new flow rate regulation phase of the flow rate regulation program, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 is reduced by 10%. For example, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the second flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 60% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the third flow rate adjustment phase corresponds to about 50% of the maximum flow rate of the water supply pump, and so on until the last flow rate adjustment phase of the series of N flow rate adjustment phases.

Advantageously, the predetermined duration t ₁ of the first flow regulation phase and therefore of the first flow magnitude P ₁ is greater than the predetermined duration of each of the other flow regulation phases and therefore of each of the flow magnitudes P ₂ to P _N-1, and advantageously is about 2 to 3 seconds, and preferably about 2.5 seconds the predetermined duration of each of the flow regulation phases, with the exception of the first flow regulation phase and therefore of the flow magnitudes P ₂ to P _N-1, is less than 1 second, and preferably about 0.5 seconds the last flow regulation phase and therefore of the flow magnitude P _N, according to one embodiment of the invention, continues uninterrupted until the steam control member 21 controls the interruption of the water supply to the evaporation chamber 17.

Advantageously, the flow rate regulation program is configured so that, for an actuation duration Ta of the steam control member 21 of less than or equal to 200ms, the flow rate regulation program performs only the first flow rate regulation phase, and, for an actuation duration Ta of the steam control member 21 of greater than or equal to 6s, the flow rate regulation program performs the totality of the flow rate regulation phases of the series N flow rate regulation phases.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the steam control member 21 controls the water supply interruption of the evaporation chamber 17, that is, when the steam control member 21 is released, the flow control circuit 25 counts the water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17, and the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 defined by the flow control circuit 25 when the steam control member 21 is reactivated is a function of the water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17, and preferably increases according to the water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17.

More specifically, the flow control circuit 25 may be configured, for example, such that, for a water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17 of less than or equal to 1s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 defined by the flow control circuit 25 at the time of re-actuation of the steam control member 21 corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the flow rate adjustment phase previously performed by the flow rate adjustment procedure, and that, for a water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17 of more than 3s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 defined by the flow control circuit 25 at the time of re-actuation of the steam control member 21 corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the first flow rate adjustment phase of the flow rate adjustment procedure.

In addition, the flow control circuit 25 may be configured such that, for a water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17 of between 1s and 3s, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 defined by the flow control circuit 25 at the time of re-actuation of the steam control member 21 corresponds to the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during a flow rate adjustment phase of the flow rate adjustment procedure between the first flow rate adjustment phase and the flow rate adjustment phase previously performed by the flow rate adjustment procedure. For example, as shown in fig. 5, the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 defined by the flow control circuit 25 when the steam control member 21 is re-actuated may correspond to the average flow rate of the water supply pump 7 during the fourth flow rate adjustment phase, that is, at the flow level P4, according to the water supply interruption duration Ti of the evaporation chamber 17. It should be noted that in fig. 5, the interruption duration Ti and the actuation duration Ta are attached with subscripted numbers so that the durations can be distinguished from each other.

It is to be noted that, when the steam control member 21 is reactivated after the interruption duration Ti, the flow control circuit 25 continues the flow regulation procedure from a flow regulation phase corresponding to the average flow defined by the flow control circuit 25 when the steam control member 21 is so reactivated.

The ironing device 2 also comprises an electronic control card, for example integrated in the iron 3 and provided with a microprocessor 26, in which microprocessor 26 the heating control circuit 24 and the flow control circuit 25 are integrated.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ironing device 2 may further comprise a switch (not shown in the figures), for example a microswitch, carried by the iron 3 and configured to control the transmission of the activation signal to the heating control circuit 24, the transmission of the activation signal to the flow control circuit 25 and the transmission of the deactivation signal to the flow control circuit 25, depending on the position of the steam control member 21.

According to an embodiment of the invention, not shown in the figures, the steam control member 21 may take the form of a steam control button carried by the iron 3.

The invention is of course in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example. Modifications can be made, in particular from the point of view of the construction of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.