Black Decker Inc.

General Electric Company

Harry Albinger, Jr

Michael John Marchetti

William D Ryckman

Thomas M O'Loughlin

Charles A Balchunas

Automatic switching apparatus for a hand held electrically operated appliance such as a pressing iron. A motion sensor and an electronic timer cooperate to automatically shut off the iron if the iron remains stationary for a predetermined period of time. A simplified mechanism is manually operable in the event the user desires to reactivate the iron. A circuit board mounting simplified electronic circuitry is located within the handle of the iron. An appropriate indicator informs the user whether the iron is in the active mode or in the inactive mode.

Automatic switching apparatus for an electric appliance

Switching apparatus for an electric iron control circuit includes a control switch assembly having a commutator switch and an on/off switch, including a pair of conductive members mounted on an insulating base. Each of the conductive members includes a plurality of conductive fingers interleaved so as to maintain electrical isolation between the conductive members. A rotary contact geared to the temperature control of an iron includes a contact member which alternately bridges and isolates the conductive fingers such that movement of the temperature select knob creates an interrupting signal between terminals connected to the conductive members. When the movable contact is in a predetermined position, a leaf contact is separated from a fixed contact so as to establish an on/off switch control. The base is pivotally mounted to the housing of the iron. A start switch includes a switch case having a pair of conductive resilient leaves normally electrically isolated and a switch button movably mounted in a switch case such that the movement of the switch button is operative to momentarily contact the two leaves to provide a start signal. The start switch is captured between the housing of the iron and a handle cover.

Switching apparatus for an appliance control circuit

An electric steam iron includes a plastic housing shell forming a hollow handle structure and a soleplate with steam generating means and ports for distribution of steam. A pump actuated by a handle button delivers water from a tank within the housing shell to the steam generating means. The iron is controlled by a low DC voltage electronic control including a printed circuit board disposed in the housing shell away from the soleplate and having means including a power resistor for reducing high AC line voltage to low DC supply to the circuit. The shell and hollow handle structure are open to the soleplate and the printed circuit board is directly exposed to heat from the power resistor. The power resistor is mounted directly on the soleplate between a pair of upstanding ribs on the soleplate and is cemented in thermally close coupling thereto by a heat transfer compound so that substantially all of the heat from the power resistor is conducted directly into the soleplate during use of the iron, thus preventing excessive heating of the printed circuit board and allowing the printed circuit board to be located within the housing shell.

Electric iron having electronic control circuit with a power resistor

Alarm devices are provided with circuit means for permitting interconnection of the alarm devices into an alarm system in which each of the powered alarm devices continually senses for an adverse condition, such as smoke in a smoke detection alarm system, and in which all of the powered alarm devices signal an alarm in response to the sensing of an adverse condition by any one of the powered alarm devices.

Alarm devices for interconnected multi-device systems

Alarm devices are provided with circuit means for permitting interconnection of the alarm devices into an alarm system in which each of the alarm devices continually senses for an adverse condition, such as smoke in a smoke detection alarm system, and in which all of the alarm devices signal an alarm in response to the sensing of an adverse condition. The interconnections for the alarm devices are such that the alarm devices not directly coupled to operative sources of electric power will, nevertheless, sense adverse conditions and signal alarms when any one of the alarm devices senses an adverse condition.

Growing community of inventors

Monroe, CT, United States of America

Harry Albinger, Jr