Domestic electric appliance

Abstract

A domestic appliance has a heated heat transfer member located in or on its housing and a temperature sensor for measuring the operating temperature of the transfer member. User inputs are provided for selecting an optimized temperature setting for the transfer member. A temperature controller controls the operating temperature of the heat transfer member in response to signals from the temperature sensor to maintain it at or near the selected temperature setting. The power cord of the appliance has a plug top with electrical pins for connection with a wall outlet. The power cord is coiled on a spring-loaded spool within the plug top and is extendable from the plug top. The spring-loaded spool provides a retracting force to retract the power cord back within the plug top.

1 . A domestic appliance comprising: 
 a housing,    a heat transfer member located in or on the housing,    a heating element located with the heat transfer member for heating the member to an operating temperature,    a temperature sensor located to measure the operating temperature,    user inputs provided on the housing, and    a temperature controller having a plurality of optimized temperature settings and operating the heating element in response to user inputs and signals from the temperature sensor to maintain the operating temperature of the heat transfer member at or near one of the optimized temperatures settings.    
   
   
       2 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  wherein the temperature controller is an electronic device.  
   
   
       3 . The domestic appliance of  claim 2  wherein the user inputs are push button switches coupled to the electronic temperature controller for selecting one of the optimized temperature settings.  
   
   
       4 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  further including a first indicator for indicating one of the optimized temperature settings and a second indicator for indicating the operating temperature of the heat transfer member.  
   
   
       5 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  wherein the optimized temperature settings are optimized for a plurality of respective functional uses of the appliance.  
   
   
       6 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  further comprising a power cord for supplying power to the appliance and a plug top coupled to the power cord for connecting the power cord to an electrical wall outlet, the plug top comprising a housing having electrical pins for electrical connection with electrical connectors of the electrical wall outlet and a spring-loaded spool on which the power cord can be coiled within the plug top housing, and wherein the power cord is extendable from the housing and the spring-loaded spool provides a retracting force to retract the power cord back within the housing.  
   
   
       7 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  wherein the plug top further comprises a brake for maintaining the power cord in the extended position and a brake release for releasing the brake so that the retracting force retracts the power cord back within the housing.  
   
   
       8 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  wherein the brake release comprises a button located on the plug top housing.  
   
   
       9 . The domestic appliance of  claim 1  being an iron wherein the heat transfer member is a soleplate.  
   
   
       10 . An electric iron comprising: 
 a housing,    a soleplate at an underside of the housing,    a heating element located with the soleplate for heating the soleplate to an operating temperature,    a temperature sensor located with the soleplate,    user inputs provided on the housing, and    a temperature controller having a plurality of discrete optimized temperature settings and operating the heating element in response to user inputs and signals from the temperature sensor to maintain the operating temperature of the soleplate at or near one of the optimized temperatures settings.    
   
   
       11 . A temperature controller for a domestic appliance having a heating element with an operating temperature and a temperature sensor located to measure the operating temperature, the temperature controller having a plurality of optimized temperature settings and operating the heating element in response to user inputs and signals from the temperature sensor to maintain the operating temperature of the heat element at or near one of the optimized temperatures settings.