Black Decker Inc.

Hp Intellectual Corporation

Other

Lee H Eckert

Michael John Marchetti

Stuart Naft

George M Drizos

Edward M Kubicz

Roger Lockshier

Carmine Mancini

Scott Rosander

Richard J Carbone

James E Chasen

Robert E Kubicko

Julian Watt

An improved process for producing integral, composite handles having cushioned comfort grips, for appliances such as electric steam irons, comprising a first step of injection molding a one-piece handle substrate of strong, rigid, resinous composition having the desired predetermined shape and design, including a recessed, wrap-around area corresponding to the area of the handle which will be gripped by the hand of the eventual user of appliance. The present process comprises a second step of injection molding an integral, outer, soft, contoured layer of foamed resin into the recessed, wrap-around area of the rigid plastic handle substrate, to form a smooth, compressible, comfort grip surface area of the composite handle for engagement with the hand of the user.

Process for making a comfort grip handle

Comfort grip handle and process

A steam iron with a valve between the water reservoir and the soleplate. The valve has a valve stem that is connected to the temperature control. The valve stem is axially rotated when the temperature control is moved without longitudinally moving the valve stem. The valve stem has a groove of varying depth located between an inlet and an outlet of the valve member to vary the flow of water through the valve based upon the rotational position of the valve stem relative to the valve member. A user actuated mechanism is also provided to longitudinally move the valve stem among closed, variable, and non-variable open flow positions.

Steam iron with all temperature steam production

A flexible core for a hand-held device such as a flashlight includes a pair of conductive wires which electrically connect a source of power to a power using implement. A flexible spine surrounds the pair of conductive wires and includes a plurality of interconnected universally rotatable members. A resilient sleeve engages the outer surface of the rotatable members forming the spine. An adaptor including one conductor made from nickel chromium wire may be used to selectively connect the flashlight to a 12 volt source of electrical power in lieu of two standard C cells housed within the flashlight.

Flashlight with flexible core

An electric steam iron includes a housing, a water reservoir, a boiler in fluid flow communication with the water reservoir, a soleplate, a steam cover overlying the soleplate in spaced relation thereto for defining a steam boiler chamber. An electrically operated heater is associated with the soleplate. A fluid control device regulates the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the steam boiler chamber. The chamber has a first portion for receiving water from the reservoir and a second portion. An extraction channel is formed overlying the second portion of the steam chamber. The steam cover has a first opening communicating the steam chamber with the extraction channel. The soleplate has a steam distribution chamber spaced from the steam boiler chamber. The steam cover has a second opening for communicating the extraction channel with the steam distribution chamber.

Steam iron including boiler and overlying extraction channel

Growing community of inventors

Cheshire, CT, United States of America

Lee H Eckert