U.S. Philips Corporation

Heng S Neo

Godwin Dirk Zwanenburg

Kok Klong Yap

Singh Kaldip

A steam iron with an indicator for indicating calcification is provided in which the iron is provided with a timer for measuring an accumulated time of use of the steam iron, and an actuator for activating the indicator when the accumulated time exceeds a predetermined threshold level. The timer measures the time of use of the steam iron, the accumulated time of use being indicative of the amount of scale deposited in the steam chamber and steam vents. When the accumulated time of use exceeds a threshold the calcification indicator is activated to warn the user that a self-clean action is to be performed. The time of use measurement may be obtained by accumulating the time of use only during steam generation, or it may be obtained by correcting the accumulated time of use with a weighting factor which depends on the steaming rate. The weighting factor may be made dependent on the hardness of the water to be steamed, or it is further possible to make the threshold level for activating the calcification indicator dependent on the hardness of the water.

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Singapore, Singapore

Heng S Neo