Solid finishing device for jackets

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a solid finishing device for jackets (such as a jacket or a coat). More practically, this invention relates to a finishing device in which a jacket is put on a torso simulating to a chest of a human body, either steam or hot air is blown against the inner part of the jacket to remove wrinkles.

2. Description of the Related Art

As a convventional device of this type, there has been provided a system described in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,088, for example.

The related art device of this type is formed to comprise a torso on which a jacket is put, a nozzle for blowing steam inside the jacket put on the torso, and a heat exchanger for discharging heat of the steam inside the jacket put on the torso.

In addition, the related art device of this type is sometimes formed such that there is provided a steam separator for removing water droplets from the steam heat exchanged by the heat exchanger and of which temperature is decreased.

However, the related art device of this type has been usually set such that the steam separator is arranged under its exposed state at the rear part of the torso, for example.

Accordingly, in accordance with the related art device of this type, there occurred a possibility that an operator erroneously touches the steam separator to make a burn and there was a problem that since the forward or rearward size of the device, for example, was elongated, either an installing space or an occupying space was required to be wide.

In addition, since the steam separator is warmed with steam flowed from the heat exchanger, the heat is dispersed from its outer surface.

However, as described above, the related art machine was made such that the steam separator was arranged under its exposed state at a rearward side of the torso and the like. Accordingly, in the case of the related art machine, heat energy outputted from the outer surface of the steam separator was lost and the heat energy of steam was not utilized.

This invention has been devised in view of the problems found in the related art.

Accordingly, the technical problem to be solved by this invention consists in providing the solid finishing device for jackets in which the installing location for the steam separator is rechecked, a small-sized formation and space-saving of the device can be carried out, heat outputted from the steam separator is utilized for drying processing for the jacket and it can be utilized sufficiently without applying uselessly the heat energy of the steam.

In order to resolve such a problem as above, this invention employs such technical means.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, this invention comprises a torso on which a jacket is put, a nozzle for blowing steam inside the jacket put on the torso, a heat exchanger for discharging heat of the steam inside the jacket put on the torso, a steam separator for removing water droplets from the steam heat exchanged with this heat exchanger and having its temperature decreased, and is characterized in that a cylindrical base frame is arranged in its raised state below said torso, said steam separator is arranged within the base frame together with the heat exchanger, and the steam having water droplets removed with the steam separator is supplied to said nozzle. (claim 1)

The device of this invention is made such that the cylindrical base frame is arranged in its raised state below the torso in this way and the aforesaid steam separator is arranged within the base frame together with the heat exchanger.

Accordingly, in accordance with this invention, since the steam separator is stored within an upward or downward range of the torso, an installing space or occupying space can be reduced and the space-saving can be realized.

In addition, this invention can utilize heat outputted from the steam separator for drying the jacket together with heat outputted from the heat exchanger. Accordingly, in accordance with this arrangement, as compared with that of the related art machine for drying a jacket only with the heat exchanger, it is possible to make a fast jacket drying processing while increasing a temperature of the hot air and the heat energy of steam is not uselessly used.

In addition, in the case of this invention, since the steam separator is not exposed, it is possible to prevent an operator from being erroneously burned.

Further, since this invention is made such that the steam separator and the heat exchanger are arranged together within the lower base frame of the torso, this invention enables a length of the pipe to be shortened, a piping work to be facilitated and further enables a piping cost to be reduced.

Thus, in the case of this invention, it is preferable that as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steam separator is arranged below the heat exchanger in a lateral orientation along a forward/rearward direction of the torso. (claim 2)

Because, in accordance with this arrangement, a flow of heat ascending from the heat exchanger is not disturbed with the steam separator. In addition, in this case, a reason why this state occurs consists in the fact that heat outputted from the steam separator is merged with heat outputted from the heat exchanger to increase a temperature of hot air and this can be utilized for drying the jacket. In addition, in this case, since the steam separator is arranged in a lateral orientation, air supplied from below the steam separator can be struck uniformly against the outer peripheral surface of the steam separator and heat is discharged efficiently. Further, in the case of this invention, as compared with the case in which the steam separator is arranged in a vertical orientation, a height of the base frame can be restricted and further air inlet for generating hot air can be easily formed at the lower part of the base frame.