Eelectric iron

Abstract

An electric iron has a sole heated by a heating element and a control device for controlling the heating element. The control device includes a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the sole at a point of contact. In order to improve the thermal coupling of the point of contact to the heating element, the sole is provided with a gap that is locally defined in the area of the point of contact and a corresponding heating element segment and that reduces a heat conduction of the flow of heat emitted by the heating element in a direction away from the point of contact. The heat on the sole can thus be better controlled even if the point of contact is located either directly on or at least very close to the heating element.

1 . An electric iron, comprising: 
 an iron sole formed with a point of contact;    a heating element for heating said iron sole;    a regulating device connected to said heating element and regulating said heating element, said regulating device including a temperature sensor thermally connected to said iron sole at said point of contact;    said iron sole having a locally bounded gap formed therein in a vicinity of said point of contact and of a segment of said heat-element associated therewith, said gap reducing a thermal conduction, in a direction away from said point of contact, of a heat flow emanating from said heating element.    
   
   
       2 . The electric iron according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap is formed on a side of said heating-element segment opposite from said point of contact.  
   
   
       3 . The electric iron according to  claim 2 , wherein said heating element encloses said point of contact in a U-shape, and said sole is formed with a multiplicity of uniformly spaced-apart steam-outlet openings distributed along said U-shaped heating element, and said gap includes at least one separate opening formed in said iron sole, and said separate opening extends along an outer side of said U-shaped heating element.  
   
   
       4 . The electric iron according to  claim 3 , wherein said point of contact is disposed eccentrically in relation to an axis of symmetry of said U-shaped heating element in a vicinity of one of two legs of said heating element, and said at least one separate opening extends along an outer edge of said one leg in a region of said point of contact.  
   
   
       5 . The electric iron according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one separate opening is a slot extending along the outer side over a length of between 2 cm and 6 cm.  
   
   
       6 . The electric iron according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one separate opening is a slot extending along the outer side over a length of between 3 cm and 5 cm.  
   
   
       7 . The electric iron according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap is a cutout on an underside of the iron sole, and said cutout extends beneath said point of contact.  
   
   
       8 . The electric iron according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap includes a first cutout formed in an underside of said iron sole, and extending beneath said heating-element segment.  
   
   
       9 . The electric iron according to  claim 8 , wherein said gap further includes a second cutout in the underside of said iron sole, and said second cutout extends beneath said point of contact.  
   
   
       10 . The electric iron according to  claim 9 , wherein said second cutout has a surface area corresponding in size at least to a surface area of said point of contact.  
   
   
       11 . The electric iron according to  claim 10 , wherein the surface area of said second cutout is between 4 cm 2  and 25 cm 2 .  
   
   
       12 . The electric iron according to  claim 10 , wherein the surface area of said second cutout is between 7 cm 2  and 17 cm 2 .  
   
   
       13 . The electric iron according to  claim 9 , wherein a height of one of said first cutout and said second cutout lies between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.  
   
   
       14 . The electric iron according to  claim 13 , wherein the height lies between 2 mm and 4 mm.  
   
   
       15 . The electric iron according to  claim 1 , wherein said gap is one of two gaps including a first gap formed as a separate opening extending on a side of said heating-element segment opposite said point of contact, and including a second gap formed as at least one cutout on an underside of said iron sole.  
   
   
       16 . The electric iron according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one cutout extends beneath said heating-element segment and beneath one or both of said heating-element segment and said point of contact.  
   
   
       17 . The electric iron according to  claim 15 , wherein said two gaps are connected to one another.