摘要 |
<p>The present invention is a clothing iron capable of lifting the iron, and thus the hot sole plate of the iron, away from a surface on which the iron rests when the iron is not in use, to reduce or prevent damage to the surface on which the iron rests. An important characteristic of the invention is that the sole plate (20) of the iron is lifted in a direction including a vertical vector, with a plane of the sole plate remaining roughly horizontal. The elevation of the iron is accomplished through the use of an elevation mechanism (24) including apparatus for extending at least one leg (22a, 22b) from the underside of the iron when the sensor (18) indicates that the user's hand is not in contact with the iron.</p> |