U.S. patent application number 09/826928 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-01 for steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner.
Invention is credited to Ko, Jung Soon.
Application Number | 20010034922 09/826928 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26637934 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010034922 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ko, Jung Soon |
November 1, 2001 |
Steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner
Abstract
A steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner, having a vacuum cleaner body
30, a suction hose 31 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 30, and
a suction unit provided at an end of the suction hose 31, includes
a steam-generating unit for generating steam by a chemical reaction
between two electrode plates 21 and 21' and an electrolytic
solution. The steam-generating unit includes a water tank 20
disposed inside the vacuum cleaner body 30; a water inlet 23
extended from one side of an upper part of the water tank 20 to
outside the vacuum cleaner body 30; a steam outlet 24 extended from
the other side of the upper part of the water tank 20 to outside
the vacuum cleaner body 30; positive and negative electrode plates
21 and 21' disposed in the water tank 20 to which electric current
is applied; a partition 22 disposed between the electrode plates 21
and 21'; and an electrolytic solution provided in the water tank 20
through which the applied electric current is conductible between
the electrode plates 21 and 21'.
Inventors: |
Ko, Jung Soon; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
700 11TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Family ID: |
26637934 |
Appl. No.: |
09/826928 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/320 ;
15/345 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L 2/07 20130101; A47L
9/02 20130101; A47L 11/34 20130101; A47L 7/04 20130101; F22B 1/30
20130101; A47L 11/4083 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/320 ;
15/345 |
International
Class: |
A47L 005/14; A47L
005/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 29, 2000 |
KR |
2000-23187 |
Jan 22, 2001 |
KR |
2001-1837 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner, having a vacuum cleaner
body, a suction hose connected to one side of the vacuum cleaner
body, and a suction unit provided at an end of the suction hose,
comprising: a steam-generating means provided at one side of the
vacuum cleaner, for generating steam by a chemical reaction between
at least two electrode plates to which electric current is applied
and an electrolytic solution provided between the electrode plates,
and for spraying the steam toward an object to be cleaned.
2. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the steam-generating means comprises: a water tank disposed
inside the vacuum cleaner body; a water inlet extended from one
side of an upper part of the water tank to outside the vacuum
cleaner body; a steam outlet extended from the other side of the
upper part of the water tank to outside the vacuum cleaner body; a
positive electrode plate disposed in the water tank, to which
electric current is applied; a negative electrode plate spaced
apart from the positive electrode plate in the water tank, to which
electric current is applied; a partition disposed between the
positive and negative electrode plates; and an electrolytic
solution provided in the water tank through which the applied
electric current is conductible between the positive and negative
electrode plates.
3. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the positive and negative electrode plates are carbon
plates.
4. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the electrolytic solution is sodium chloride.
5. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the steam-generating means further comprises: a steam
discharge hose connected to one side of the steam outlet, and a
steam spray plate provided at an end of the steam discharge hose,
the steam spray plate detachable from and attachable to a steam
spray plate holder provided at both sides of a suction unit of the
vacuum cleaner.
6. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the steam-generating means comprises: a water tank disposed
closably inside the suction unit of the vacuum cleaner; a water
inlet extended from an upper part of the water tank to outside the
suction unit; a steam vessel disposed at a lower part of the water
tank; a water supply tube extended from one side of the water tank
to a bottom of the steam vessel; an air tube extended from one side
of the water tank to a predetermined level of the water in the
steam vessel; a plurality of positive electrode plates, disposed in
the steam vessel, to which electric current is applied; a plurality
of negative electrode plates, spaced apart from the positive
electrode plates in the steam vessel, to which electric current is
applied; partitions disposed between the positive and negative
electrode plates; an electrolytic solution provided in the steam
vessel through which the applied electric current is conductible
between the positive and negative electrode plates; and a steam
spray nozzle connected from one side of an upper part of the steam
vessel to a lower part of the suction unit.
7. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the positive and negative electrode plates are carbon
plates.
8. The steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the electrolytic solution is sodium chloride.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a steam-sterilizing vacuum
cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner which has great economical
efficiency with a simple structure over the prior art, as well as
which provides greater improvement in sterilization and cleaning,
by adopting a steam-generating unit of chemical reaction.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] Conventionally, it is necessary to dust off or to wash
carpets, sofas and bedcovers in order to clean such things,
however, this kind of work is inconvenient to do. In order to
overcome such a problem, a vacuum cleaner for sucking dust from
objects to be cleaned is developed, but this also has little effect
on the sterilization/disinfection and insect-killing. In this case,
it is cumbersome to make sterilization by sunlight, and the
sterilization effect is not quite satisfactory.
[0003] In order to correct such a problem, a vacuum cleaner which
can sterilize objects to be cleaned with ultraviolet rays or steam
and can suck dust from the objects at the same time has been
introduced. However, the ultraviolet vacuum cleaner has to include
an expensive ultraviolet generator, which causes the price of the
product to be raised. While, the steam vacuum cleaner includes an
electric heater in order to generate steam. Accordingly, the steam
vacuum cleaner has to include a safety device, a gauge and a
manometer (or pressure gauge) additionally for cutting off electric
power safely when there is no water in the heating unit and/or when
pressure is higher than predetermined level. Therefore, this kind
of steam vacuum cleaner not only has complicated and bulky
structure, and not so good exterior appearance, but also the price
thereof becomes too expensive.
[0004] In addition, for the steam vacuum cleaner, it takes usually
about 20 to 30 minutes from a heating start time to a generation
time of steam of high temperature and high pressure, accordingly a
user has to stand by during the time. Furthermore, the conventional
steam vacuum cleaner has no function to generate oxygen and
accordingly there is very little effect on the
sterilization/disinfection and insect-killing. The steam vacuum
cleaner also has great amount of power consumption due to the need
of pre-heating power in order to heat water. Moreover, it is very
inefficient to construct a spray unit so as to attach to or detach
from the vacuum cleaner, because the steam from the vacuum cleaner
is sprayed to objects to be cleaned in elliptical pattern, at a
position spaced apart from a suction plate near a cleaner body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the present invention is designed to overcome
such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to
provide a steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner which has great
economical efficiency with a simple structure as well as provides
greater improvement in sterilization and cleaning.
[0006] In order to accomplish the above object, the invention
provides a steam vacuum cleaner comprising a steam-generating unit
for generating steam by chemical reaction, and a cleaning unit for
spraying the generated steam to an object to be cleaned and sucking
dust from the object, by combining the steam-generating unit with
at least a part of the vacuum cleaner body.
[0007] The steam-generating unit generates steam by chemical
reaction between at least two carbon plates to which electric
current is applied and a liquid solution. While, the liquid
solution consists of an electrolytic solution having a boiling
point higher than certain level, and preferably it can be saline
water. The steam-generating unit preferably comprises a water tank
of a certain shape for keeping the liquid solution therein with a
water inlet and a steam outlet formed thereon; at least two carbon
plates which are installed inside the water tank and spaced apart
each other and to which electric current is applied; and a
partition positioned between the carbon plates. The cleaning unit
includes a steam spray unit for spraying the steam generated from
the steam-generating unit toward an object to be cleaned. And, the
steam spray unit is preferably installed attachably/detachably to a
part of the cleaning unit. This attachable/detachable steam spray
unit is realized by forming a spray plate for spraying the
generated steam to the object to be cleaned in the same shape as
the suction plate for sucking dust from the object to be cleaned,
so that the spray plate can be attachable/detachable to a holder
formed on at least one side of the suction plate.
[0008] While, the cleaning unit includes an air discharge unit
combined with a part of the cleaner body, and the air discharge
unit makes the sucked dust pass through a certain kind of liquid
for being filtered, thereby preferably discharging air with purity
level higher than a certain standard outside of the cleaner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The above and other objects and features of the instant
invention will become apparent from the following description of
preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side section view of a vacuum cleaner body
according to the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front section view of a vacuum cleaner body
according to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner suction
unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side section view of a vacuum cleaner suction
unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a front section view of a vacuum cleaner suction
unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with
reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a
steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The present steam-sterilizing
vacuum cleaner can be constructed, by combining at least part of
components of conventional vacuum cleaner (such as, vacuum-type
dust suction unit, vacuum cleaner body, etc) with a
steam-generating unit for generating steam by chemical reaction and
steam spray unit of the present invention.
[0017] In the FIG. 1, the steam-generating unit is preferably
installed inside of the vacuum cleaner body 30 for the purpose of
attractive external appearance of the cleaner, and it is obvious to
those skilled in the art that such a construction would not limit
the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is also possible to
construct variations of the vacuum cleaner by extending all or part
of the components of the steam-generating unit beyond the outer
surface of the vacuum cleaner body 30. For the purpose of
attractive external appearance, the vacuum cleaner body 30 designed
as shown in the FIG. 1 has preferably one frame formed with a base,
sides, and a part of a top surface, while the other part of the top
surface is preferably formed with a cover 33 (or lid) capable of
being opened.
[0018] The vacuum cleaner body 30 has a discharge opening 60 formed
on one side thereof for discharging air after purification, and a
liquid (specifically, water) inlet 23 and a water tank switch S for
turning on and off the supply of electric power into the steam
spray unit formed on a part of the top surface. In addition, the
vacuum cleaner body 30 includes a suction opening 34 through which
a suction hose 31 of a suction unit which sucks air including dust
is connected to a dust-collecting room 32, and a steam outlet 24
for discharging the steam generated from the steam-generating unit
to an exterior steam spray unit, formed on a front side
thereof.
[0019] The suction unit comprises a suction plate 50, a suction
hose 31 for connecting the suction plate 50 with a suction opening
34, and an operation switch 35. The suction hose 31 is connected to
the suction opening 34 with a coupling. And, the steam spray unit
comprises a steam spray plate 51, and a steam discharge hose 26 for
connecting the steam spray plate 51 with the steam outlet 24, as
shown in FIG. 1. While, the steam discharge hose 26 is connected to
the steam outlet 24 with a coupling, and the steam spray plate 51
of the steam spray unit is formed in the same shape but a little
bit smaller than the suction plate 50 of the suction unit so as to
be attachable to and detachable from spray plate holders 52 formed
on both front sides of the suction plate 50. Accordingly, the
vacuum cleaner of the present invention has a simple structure over
the conventional one, the steam sprayed therefrom is sprayed more
evenly to an object to be sterilized. The present vacuum cleaner
also has attractive appearance and is convenient to use.
[0020] Next, an interior structure of the vacuum cleaner body will
be described in detail, with reference to the FIG. 2 and 3. The
components inside the vacuum cleaner body include a
steam-generating unit comprising a water tanker 20, carbon plates
21 and 21' and a partition 22, a water inlet 23, a steam outlet 24,
a dust-collecting room 32, and a filtering net 42 through which
purified air is passed and discharged. The dust-collecting room 32
is a place where the dust from the object to be cleaned is
collected through the suction plate 50, suction hose 31 and suction
opening 34 of the suction unit with a vacuum-generating unit
electrically connected to the operation switch 35. The dust
collected in the dust-collecting room 32 is generally filtered
through the filtering net 42 (or, dust-collecting net) and
discharged through the discharge opening 60, by the operation of a
motor 40 and a fan 41 electrically connected to the operation
switch 35.
[0021] In the meanwhile, the vacuum-generating unit for sucking
dust from an object to be cleaned and/or the air discharge unit are
known generally, and it is easily possible for those skilled in the
art to realize such embodiments, accordingly, the detailed
description thereof will not described further.
[0022] According to an embodiment of the invention, a
steam-generating unit provided at the front of the inside of the
vacuum cleaner body 30 comprises a water tank 20 supported inside
the vacuum cleaner body for keeping an electrolytic solution
therein; a water inlet 23 extended from the water tank 20 into and
beyond the top surface of the vacuum cleaner body 30; at least two
carbon plates 21 and 21' spaced apart each other which are
supported by the water tank 20 and to which electric current can be
applied; an electrically non-conductible partition 22 provided at a
median position between the carbon plates 21 and 21' with the same
area as the carbon plates; and a steam outlet 24 for discharging
steam generated from the inside of the water tank 20 to the steam
discharge hose 26 of exterior steam spray unit. The suction opening
34 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided beneath the water tank 20 as
shown in the FIG. 3, so as to be connected with the dust-collecting
room 32 shown in FIG. 2.
[0023] The steam-generating unit of aforementioned construction
generates steam by chemical reaction, and operation principle
thereof is as follows. First, weak electric current is applied to
two carbon plates 21 and 21' with separate positive and negative
electrodes. Then a chemical reaction takes place at an interface
between saline water, which is a preferred example of the
electrolytic solution, and two carbon plates 21 and 21'. As a
result of such chemical reaction, water vapor of high temperature
and high pressure and oxygen are generated and mixed together into
steam. The steam generated by such a process is supplied to the
steam discharge hose 26 and the steam spray plate 51, which
constitute the steam spray unit, through the steam outlet 24. At
this time, pure water and carbon plates 21 and 21' to which weak
electric current is applied do not lead to any chemical reaction.
However, if a certain amount of salt (sodium chloride), which is a
kind of basic substance such as calcium chloride and potassium
chloride, is dissolved in water, the saline water becomes
electrically conductible (it is not preferable to dissolve too much
salt in water because too much salt causes intensive chemical
reaction between the saline water and the carbon plates).
Accordingly, a chemical reaction takes place between the carbon
plates 21 and 21' and the saline water through which weak electric
current is flowing so as to generate heat and resulting steam.
[0024] An electrically non-conductible partition 22 is provided in
order to prevent a direct chemical reaction between the two carbon
plates 21 and 21', and therefore it is preferable to install the
partition 22 so that the partition 22 cannot seal the entire space
between the carbon plates 21 and 21'. The water vapor generated
from the chemical reaction between the saline water and the carbon
plates 21 and 21' is of high temperature (commonly, about 120 to
130.degree. C.) because the saline water which is an electrolytic
solution has high boiling point. In addition, the high density of
water molecule contacting the large area of the carbon plates 21
and 21' causes to increase the amount of water vapor generated per
unit time, which in turn creates steam of high pressure.
[0025] In addition, it is possible to use small amount of salt once
dissolved in the water continuously because the salt dissolved in
the water does not evaporate by such a chemical reaction.
Therefore, only water is need to be fed through the water inlet 23
when the amount of the electrolytic solution in water tank 20 is
decreased due to the generation of steam. Furthermore, oxygen is
also generated by the electrolysis when the chemical reaction
between the saline water and the carbon plates 21 and 21' takes
place and is mixed into the water vapor. It has proven that the
steam of high temperature and high pressure including such oxygen
is more effective on sterilization and insect-killing over the pure
water vapor, by experimental results of the present inventor. In
addition, though the electric current applied to the carbon plates
21 and 21' of the steam-generating unit of the invention is
preferably weak alternating current (AC), it is possible to use
direct current from batteries.
[0026] Now, the operation of the steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner
according to the present invention of the constructions shown in
the FIG. 1 to 3 will be described in detail. First, a user turns on
the operation switch 35 provided at the suction hose 31 while
directing the suction plate 50 of the suction unit toward an object
to be cleaned. Then, a vacuum-generating unit is driven and
accordingly vacuum is created inside the dust-collecting room 32,
which in turn generates suction effect so as to suck air including
dust from the object to be cleaned.
[0027] While, if the user turns on the water tank switch S provided
on the top surface of the vacuum cleaner body 30, weak electric
current is supplied to the carbon plates 21 and 21' of the
steam-generating unit. Then, water vapor of high temperature and
high pressure and oxygen are generated at the interface between the
carbon plates 21 and 21' and the saline water and mixed each other.
This mixed steam passed through the steam outlet 24, the steam
discharge hose 26 and the steam spray plate 51 and sprayed to the
object to be cleaned. Therefore, the sterilization and
insect-killing effect on the object to be cleaned is significantly
increased by such sprayed steam of high temperature and high
pressure.
[0028] Especially, a chemical reaction is used for generating steam
in the steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner of the present invention,
so that electric power supplied to the steam-generating unit is
automatically cut off when the water in the steam-generating unit
is entirely evaporated. Accordingly, the present vacuum cleaner
doesn't have to include additionally a safety device, a guage and
manometer for cutting off electric power as in the conventional
steam vacuum cleaner including an electric heater as a heating
unit. Therefore, it is possible to lower the cost of the products
by reducing the number of components, while keeping safer state in
use over the prior art. In addition, the present vacuum cleaner has
attractive appearance because it is not necessary to include such
components at an exterior part of the vacuum cleaner. Furthermore,
the conventional steam vacuum cleaner of heating type needs about
20 to 30 minutes to heat water and generate steam, however, it is
proven in the experiment that the present steam-sterilizing vacuum
cleaner can generate steam of high temperature and high pressure
within 1 minute and accordingly it is very convenient to use. The
present steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner also has the advantage of
very low power consumption due to the use of weak electric current.
Moreover, the present steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner generates
oxygen in addition to the steam of high temperature and high
pressure, which improves significantly the sterilization and
insect-killing effect over the conventional one. The present vacuum
cleaner has an additional advantage of convenience in use by
forming the spray unit efficiently detachable to the suction
unit.
[0029] In the meanwhile, it is also possible to incorporate an air
purification and discharge unit according to the present invention
into the above-described preferred embodiment of the invention.
More specifically, the air purification and discharge unit(not
shown) comprises a vessel supported by the body for keeping a
solution (preferably, water) therein inside the duct-collecting
room 32 instead of the filtering net 42 (or dust-collecting net)
shown in FIG. 2. Then, a proper amount of water (about two thirds
or three fourths of the vessel) is filled the vessel, a sponge is
provided properly on the top surface of the solution, a second hose
is extended from the dust-collecting room 32 above the vessel to
the bottom of the vessel (in the water), and a third hose connected
to the air outlet is disposed in the layer of air above the sponge
in the vessel. The air purification and discharge unit sucks dust
into the water in the vessel, filters every tiny dust by the water
and discharges only purified air to the outside of the body, when
the dust is sucked into the dust-collecting room 32 by the
operation of the vacuum cleaner. This has great air purification
effect over the conventional filter-using air purification system.
When adopting such an air purification and discharge unit into the
vacuum cleaner body, it is not necessary to use the filtering net
42 shown in the FIG. 2.
[0030] In another variation, it is possible to compensate possible
temperature loss during the passage through the steam discharge
hose 26 so as to spray steam of higher temperature and high
pressure, by incorporating additional heater including a safety
device near the steam spray plate 51.
[0031] In yet another variation, the operation switch 35 of the
suction unit is provided at the suction hose unit and the water
tank switch S is provided at the top surface of the vacuum cleaner
body, respectively. However, it also is possible to provide both
switches at proper positions of the suction hose 31, respectively,
so as to improve convenience in use. It is yet possible to
combining electrically the two switches into one switch so that the
suction unit and the spray unit can be operated at the same time.
In still another variation, the present vacuum cleaner can have at
least two steam-generating units including carbon plates 21 and 21'
so that the steam generated from the steam-generating units can be
converged into the steam outlet 24, and it is obvious that such
variations fall within the scope of the present invention.
[0032] It is also obvious that the present steam-sterilizing vacuum
cleaner can be used as a domestic steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner
and/or an industrial one within the scope of the present invention,
by varying the size and capacity of the vacuum cleaner having
above-described constructions, and accordingly the detailed
description thereof will not be made further.
[0033] Other variations that can be made within the scope of the
present invention described above are as follows.
[0034] FIGS. 4 to 6 are a perspective view, a side section view,
and a front section view of a vacuum cleaner suction unit according
to another embodiment of the present invention, respectively. As
shown in the FIGS. 4 to 6, there is provided a water tank including
a water inlet formed thereon for keeping water inside the body of
the suction unit, and a steam vessel disposed at a bottom of the
water tank for generating steam.
[0035] Carbon plates 91, 91', 91" and 91'" connected with an
electric cord 61 and electrically non-conductible partitions 92,
92' and 92" having the same area as the carbon plates located
between each two carbon plates are provided inside the steam vessel
80. And, it is preferable to use saline water as the electrolytic
solution for generating steam by chemical reaction. There is
provided a steam spray nozzle 81 for spraying the steam in high
pressure when a certain level of pressure is created inside the
steam vessel 80.
[0036] The water tank 70 and the steam vessel 80 are
interconnected, with a pipe having a water supply tube 73 for
supplying water from the bottom of the water tank 70 to the steam
vessel 80 and an air tube 75 formed thereon. Accordingly, the air
in the steam vessel 80 rises to the water tank 70 through the air
tube 75 when the level of the water in the steam vessel 80 is
lowered due to evaporation, while, the water in the water tank 70
flows into the steam vessel 80 through the water supply tube 73.
When the level of the water in the steam vessel 80 becomes equal to
the air tube 75, the air in the steam vessel 80 cannot flow into
the water tank 70 due to the blockage of the water at the inlet of
the air tube 75. This stops the supply of water from the water tank
70, so that the level of the steam vessel 80 can be maintained
constantly. For this purpose, the water inlet 71 should be closed
after filling the water tank with water.
[0037] A steam spray opening 83 is formed at the bottom of the
suction unit body 60 for spraying the steam toward the object to be
cleaned.
[0038] The steam of high temperature and high pressure can be used
effectively because the steam generated from the steam vessel 80 is
sprayed toward the object to be cleaned at the nearest position
thereof, thereby improving the sterilization and insect-killing
effect.
[0039] The reference numeral 93 is an electric cord connected to
the carbon plates.
[0040] As described above, the steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner
according to the present invention can improve economical
efficiency with a simple structure over the prior art, by adopting
a steam-generating unit of chemical reaction. In addition, the
present invention provides greater improvement in sterilization and
cleaning effect. Accordingly, it is obvious to those skilled in the
art that the steam-sterilizing vacuum cleaner of the present
invention would be great successful on the market.
[0041] Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have
been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *