U.S. patent application number 11/494730 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-31 for handheld steam cleaner.
This patent application is currently assigned to Main Power Electrical Factory Ltd.. Invention is credited to Kwok Kay Lee.
Application Number | 20080022480 11/494730 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38981843 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080022480 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Kwok Kay |
January 31, 2008 |
Handheld steam cleaner
Abstract
A handheld steam cleaner has a housing with an integral
pistol-grip handle and a nozzle. Located with the housing are a
soap tank, a water reservoir, a water pump and a steam generator. A
soap pump is located in the handle. A first passage leads from the
water reservoir, through the water pump and the steam generator, to
a steam discharge opening in the nozzle. A second passage leads
from the soap tank, through the soap pump, to a soap discharge
opening in the nozzle. The housing also has a body. The handle is
connected with the nozzle and the body extends downwardly from the
handle and the nozzle.
Inventors: |
Lee; Kwok Kay; (Kwun Tong,
HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG VOIT & MAYER, LTD
700 THIRTEENTH ST. NW, SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3960
US
|
Assignee: |
Main Power Electrical Factory
Ltd.
Kwun Tong
HK
|
Family ID: |
38981843 |
Appl. No.: |
11/494730 |
Filed: |
July 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/320 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B08B 3/00 20130101; B08B
2230/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/320 |
International
Class: |
F22B 1/28 20060101
F22B001/28 |
Claims
1. A handheld steam cleaner comprising: a housing having an
integral pistol-grip handle and a nozzle, a water reservoir located
with the housing, a pump located in the housing and communicating
with the water reservoir for pumping water from the reservoir, a
steam generator connected with the pump for converting the water
into steam and communicating with the nozzle for discharging the
steam from the steam cleaner.
2. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 1 wherein the steam
generator comprises a generally cylindrical body of heat conductive
material encasing a heating element and a passage passing through
the body in which the water is heated and converted into the
steam.
3. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 2 wherein the body of heat
conductive material is disposed around the heating element.
4. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 2 wherein the heating
element and the passage have spiral shapes within the body of heat
conductive material.
5. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 4 wherein the spiral shapes
of the heating element and the passage are concentric.
6. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a
detergent tank located within the housing, a manually operable pump
located within the housing, and detergent delivery lines for
delivering detergent from the tank, through the manually operable
pump, to a detergent discharge opening in the nozzle.
7. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 6 wherein the manually
operable pump has a lever pivotally mounted with the handle as a
mechanical trigger movable by a finger for operating the pump.
8. The steam cleaner of claim 6 wherein the detergent tank is
removably positioned with the housing and coupled with a releasable
catch for removing the detergent tank from the housing for
filling.
9. A handheld steam cleaner comprising: a housing with a handle
portion, a nozzle portions and a body portion and in which the
handle portion is connected with the nozzle portion and the body
portion extends downwardly below the handle portion and the nozzle
portion, a soap tank, a water reservoir, a water pumps and a steam
generator located within the body portion, a first passage leading
from the water reservoir, through the water pump and the steam
generator, to a steam discharge opening in the nozzle portion, a
soap pump located in the handle portion, and a second passage
leading from the soap tank, through the soap pump, and to a soap
discharge opening in the nozzle portion.
10. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 9 wherein the handle
portion is a pistol-grip handle.
11. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 10 wherein the handle
extends downwardly substantially parallel to the body portion.
12. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 10 wherein the soap pump
includes a trigger lever on the handle portion.
13. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 9 wherein the soap
discharge opening is above the steam discharge opening.
14. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 9 wherein the steam
generator comprises a generally cylindrical body of heat conductive
material encasing a heating element and a passage passing through
the body in which the water is heated and converted into the
steam.
15. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 14 wherein the body of heat
conductive material is disposed around the heating element.
16. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 14 wherein the heating
element and the passage have spiral shapes within the body of heat
conductive material.
17. The handheld steam cleaner of claim 16 wherein the spiral
shapes of the heating element and the passage are concentric.
Description
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The current invention relates to steam cleaners, and more
particularly to a handheld steam cleaner for domestic use.
[0003] 2. Background Information
[0004] Water is a common cleaning agent. Hot water and steam are
more effective cleaning agents because they help to dissolve
stubborn dirt as well as grease and other chemicals. Steam cleaners
are well-known within industry and are becoming increasingly
popular for domestic use. Domestic type steam cleaners are
particularly use for household cleaning tasks, however although
they are smaller in size than commercial steam cleaners they are
still relatively large and complicated to set up and move from
place to place and thus a person might be discouraged from using
one when only a smaller cleaning job was required.
[0005] Additionally, steam cleaners of often more effective when
used with a cleaning agent such as detergent and steam cleaners are
known to incorporate detergent dispensing means. This adds to the
size and complexity of the steam cleaner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, is an object of the present invention to
provide a handheld steam cleaner, and in particular a steam cleaner
suitable for domestic use, which is small and easy to set-up and
use for small cleaning tasks, or that at least provides the public
with a useful alternative.
[0007] In view of the forgoing, there is disclosed herein a steam
cleaner comprising A steam cleaner comprising: [0008] a housing
having an integral pistol-grip handle and a nozzle, [0009] a water
reservoir located with the housing, [0010] a pump located in the
housing and communicating with the water reservoir for pumping
water from the reservoir, [0011] a steam generator connected with
the pump for converting water to steam and communicating with the
nozzle for discharging steam from the steam cleaner.
[0012] Preferably, the steam cleaner further comprises a detergent
tank located with the housing, a manually operable pump located
within the housing and detergent delivery lines for delivering
detergent in the tank thought the manually operable pump and to a
detergent discharge opening in the nozzle.
[0013] Preferably, the manually operable pump has a level pivotally
mounted with the handle as a mechanical trigger movable by a finger
for operating the pump.
[0014] Preferably, the detergent tank is removably positioned with
the housing and coupled with a releasable catch for removing the
detergent tank to be filled.
[0015] There is further disclosed herein a handheld steam cleaner
comprising: [0016] a housing with a handle portion, a nozzle
portion and a body portion and in which the handle portion is
connected with the nozzle portion and the body portion extends
downwardly from the handle and nozzle portions, [0017] a soap tank,
a water reservoir, a water pump and a steam generator located with
the body portion, [0018] a first passage leading from the water
reservoir through the water pump and the steam generator and to a
steam discharge opening in the nozzle portion, [0019] a soap pump
located in the handle position, and [0020] a second passage leading
from the soap tank through the soap pump and to a soap discharge
opening in the nozzle portion.
[0021] Preferably, the handle portion is a pistol-grip handle.
[0022] Preferably, the handle extends downwardly substantially
parallel to the body portion.
[0023] Preferably, the soap pump includes a trigger lever on the
handle portion.
[0024] Preferably, the soap discharge opening is above the steam
discharge opening.
[0025] Preferably, the steam generator comprises a generally
cylindrical body of heat conductive material encasing a heating
element and a passage passing through the body in which water is
heated to steam.
[0026] Preferably, the body of heat conductive material is formed
about the heating element.
[0027] Preferably, the heating element and passage have spiral
shapes within the body of heat conductive material.
[0028] Preferably, the spiral shapes of the heating element and the
passage are concentric.
[0029] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from
the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] An exemplary form of the present invention will now be
described by way of example only and with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a handheld steam
cleaner according to the invention, and
[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a steam generator of
the handheld steam cleaner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] In the attached drawings there is depicted a portable
handheld steam cleaning device suitable for domestic use. The
device comprises an integrally formed housing having a pistol-grip
type handle portion 2, steam nozzle portion 3 and a bulbous body
portion 1. The handle portion 2 is connected to the nozzle portion
3 and the bulbous body portion 1 extends downwardly from the handle
and nozzle portions 2, 3. The pistol-grip type handle portion 2
extends generally downwardly substantially parallel to a side of
the bulbous body portion 1. Located with the body portion 1 are a
water reservoir 4 and a detachable soap/detergent tank 5.
Positioned within the body portion 1 are an electromagnetic pump 6
and a steam generator 7. The steam generator 7 rests on an internal
bracket 24. A liquid fluid line 8 extends from the outlet of water
reservoir 4 to the inlet of pump 6. From the pump outlet the liquid
fluid line 8 delivers water to the inlet 21 of the steam generator
7. Within the steam generator 7 the liquid is turned to steam and a
steam fluid line 9 delivers the steam from an outlet 22 of the
steam generator 7 to a steam discharged opening 10 in nozzle 3.
[0034] There is provided on an upper portion of the housing a
rotary steam knob 11 which turns a spindle 12 extending to an
outlet valve 23 of the water reservoir 4. Turning the knob 11
rotates the spindle to adjust the outlet valve 23. The valve 23
controls water delivery to the electromagnetic pump 6 which in turn
controls the volume of steam emitted from steam discharge opening
10. Also on the upper portion of the housing, adjacent the steam
knob 11, is an opening with a filler tube 13 extending to reservoir
4 for re-filling the reservoir 2 with water.
[0035] The soap/detergent tank 5 is removable from the housing for
filling. The soap tank 5 is held in place by a release catch
operable by a release button 14 to facilitate removal of the soap
tank 5. A detachable outlet coupling, which may be a pair of
flanges with mating surfaces, connects the soap tank 5 to a soap
dispensing line 15 that extends up to the handle 2 of the body 1.
Located within the handle 2 is a manually operable soap pump 16. A
pumping lever 17 is located in a `trigger` position of the
pistol-grip type handle 2. The lever 17 is mounted on a pivot 18
for reciprocating pumping motion with an index finger of a hand
holding the pistol-grip type handle 2. The lever 17 is connected to
pump 16 for pumping soap/detergent from the soap tank 5. A soap
delivery line 19 extends from an outlet of the soap pump 16 to a
soap discharge opening 20 located above the steam discharge opening
10 in the nozzle 3.
[0036] Electrical wiring of the steam cleaner is not shown but is
well within the capability and understanding of one skilled in the
art. An appliance power inlet connector is provided in the housing
1 at an opening 25 near the base. A power switch 26 is provided on
an upper portion of the handle 2 approximate the top of the
housing. A live, or line, lead of the wiring is connected via the
switch 26 to a heating element 31 of the steam generator 7 and to
the electromagnetic pump 7. Return, or neutral, and earth leads of
the wiring are also made to the pump 6 and steam generator 7 in
known manner.
[0037] FIG. 2 depict detail of the steam generator 7. The steam
generator 7 comprises a generally cylindrical body 30 of a heat
conductive material, such as any cast metal, with an embedded
heating element 31 and water passage 32. The heating element 31 and
fluid passage 32 are within close proximity to each other in
concentric spirals around the circular body 30 of the steam
generator 7. In the depicted embodiment the fluid passage 32 has
five (5) spiral loops. The heater element spiral is the inner
spiral and has three (3) loops. The fluid passage spirals 32 are
formed from a metal tube that is positioned with heating element
spirals 31 and formed into the cylindrical body 30 during casting.
The center portion of the cylindrical body 30 is hollow to
concentrate heat into the outer circumference in which the heating
element and water passage spirals 31, 32 are cast.
[0038] In use, the steam cleaner is connected to a power source in
known manner and the power switch 26 depressed to activate the
steam cleaner, including powering the heating element 31 of the
steam generator 7. Once the steam generator 7 has reached its
operating temperature water is pumped from the reservoir 2 through
liquid fluid lines 8 and to the fluid passage 32 of the steam
generator 7. Within fluid passage 32 the water is turned into
steam. The steam passes through the steam fluid lines 9 to the
discharge opening 10 in nozzle 3. If during the cleaning operation
the user decides that soap/detergent is needed to assist with
cleaning the soap pump 16 can be operated by repeatedly depressing
lever 17 with an index, or other, finger to deliver soap/detergent
to the soap discharge opening 20. Soap/detergent exiting the
opening 20 will be entrained into the steam jet ejected from steam
discharged opening 10.
[0039] The handheld steam cleaner is particularly suitable for
domestic use. It is small and easy to set up and use. The steam
generator comprising concentric spirals is small and
lightweight.
[0040] It should be appreciated that modifications and alternations
obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as
beyond the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *