Patent Application
20060000048
The invention relates generally to a liquid dispensing device, and more particularly to a device for dispensing a controlled amount of liquid cleaner into a steam outlet of a steam cleaner.
Steaming devices used to apply steam to household objects are well known. The uses of the devices vary widely, and may include the application of steam to drapes or other fabrics to ease wrinkles, and the application of steam to objects to assist in cleaning the objects.
Typical steam devices have a reservoir for storing water with a heating element to heat the water. The heated water generates steam, which may be directed towards its intended destination through a nozzle which controls the application of the steam. Variation of the shape and size of the nozzle allows for preferred distribution of generated steam to an object to be cleaned. The nozzles may be disconnectable from the steam generator to allow different nozzles to be utilized, based on the object to be steamed. The nozzle may be either closely coupled to the steam generator, or located at a distance from the steam generator, requiring tubing or other steam transfer structures to be interconnected between the steam generator and the discharge nozzle. Typically, it is beneficial to provide suitable connectors between the steam generator and the nozzle to allow either the nozzle to be connected to the steam generator, or to allow the interpositioning of transfer tubes or hoses between the steam generator and the nozzle.
The use of steam alone sometimes is not sufficient to clean an object or surface where the dirt and/or stain to be removed is particularly resistant to cleaning i.e. blood, wine, grass, tea, coffee and the like. In these cases, a cleaning agent in addition to steam may help facilitate in the removal of the dirt and/or stain. Further, an unregulated amount of cleaning agent and steam decreases the efficiency of the removal of the dirt and/or stain. This is because some dirt and/or stains need to be pretreated with the cleaning agent before applying the steam for the dirt and/or stain removal or vice versa. In addition, other dirt and/or stains may need just steam to remove or dislodge the dirt and/or stain. The unregulated release of steam generated by a steam generator reduces the efficiency with which the device may be operated. Such inefficiency arises from the generation of excess steam when the steam is not being applied to an object to be steamed. These inefficiencies increase the operating cost of the device, and decreases the utility of the device.
The use of a cleaning agent and mixing it with steam to bring the mixture into contact with the dirt and/or stain to be removed is known in the art. However, such devices do not allow the user the option of applying the steam first to the object to be cleaned and then immediately applying a controlled amount of cleaning agent to the object to be cleaned. Further, the ratio of cleaning agent to steam needed for the removal of dirt and/or stain is not tailored by the user.
A combined steam and vacuum cleaner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,459. Here, a steam hose and a detergent hose deposit steam and detergent on a surface to be cleaned adjacent to a vacuum hose. In this device, a water reservoir and a detergent reservoir are provided in a canister. Another variation of a combined steam and vacuum cleaner is shown in United States published application No. 2002/0112744. Here, a liquid cleaning agent is injected into a steam compartment that is then applied to the surface to be cleaned through a steam spray head. The steam and soap are then removed by a suction nozzle adjacent to the steam spray head. A steam cleaning apparatus providing for injection of a cleaning agent into a fluid conduit carrying a hot stream of water, steam and combustion gases to form a cleaning jet is shown in GB 1,449,483.
Notwithstanding the wide variety of steam generating appliances available, there exists the need to provide a self-contained liquid cleaning fluid dispenser device for use with a steam cleaner, particularly for a light-weight portable device suitable for household use. It is desirable to provide this device with the ability for a user to control the amount of steam so that a small amount of cleaning agent is injected into the steam without lowering the quality of the steam making the device suitable for cleaning household items.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a liquid dispensing unit suitable for injecting a controlled amount of liquid, such as a liquid soap agent into the outlet of a steam cleaning device as steam is applied to an object to be cleaned is provided. The steam generating device includes a water reservoir with a heating element for generating steam that is controlled by a hand grip that regulates the amount of steam fed to a nozzle, rigid pipe or an appliance piece mounted on the pipe or nozzle. The liquid dispensing unit includes a liquid reservoir mounted on the hand grip with a user operated pump for controlling the amount of liquid dispensed into the steam pipe upstream of the steam outlet. In one embodiment, the liquid dispensing unit includes a mechanical pump having a chamber with a trigger connected to a piston that is biased away from the bottom of the chamber by a spring. When the user depresses the trigger, the piston is pushed against the spring injecting liquid into the steam pipe. When the piston is released and moves back to its original position, additional fluid is drawn from the storage tank into the chamber.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved liquid dispensing unit.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved liquid dispensing unit for a steam cleaner for controlling the amount of liquid injected into the steam outlet.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved liquid dispensing unit for a steam cleaner where a user controls the amount of steam and liquid cleaning agent dispensed in the steam outlet or nozzle.
Yet another object of the invention is a liquid cleaning dispensing unit that can be selectively added to a hand-held steam cleaning hand grip.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a liquid cleaning dispensing unit that allows addition of steam cleaning appliances.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises a product possessing the features, properties, and the relation of components which will be exemplified in the product hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing(s), in which:
a and 2b are perspective views of the hand grip of the steam cleaner of
Main body 12 of steam cleaning device 11 includes a water inlet 22 and an internal water reservoir 17 with heating elements connected to a power source by a power cord 21. Steam generated in reservoir 17 exits by steam outlet 23 with flexible hose 14 coupled thereto. Main body 12 is outfitted with a handle 24 and a strap 26 for conveniently lifting and carrying main body 12. Main body 12 also includes an on/off switch 27 and an indicator light 28 to indicate when steam temperature is appropriate for use.
Once water has been heated sufficiently to generate steam within main body 12, a user may selectively release steam by operation of hand grip 13. Hand grip 13 is illustrated in more detail in
Hand grip 13 is fitted with a trigger 36 for selectively releasing and controlling the amount of steam fed to outlet end 31. In connection with the type of steam cleaner 11 set forth for purposes of illustration, steam generated by main body 12 passes through a steam conduit 37 coupled to a valve 38 within cavity 34 operated by squeezing trigger 36. When trigger 36 is squeezed, steam in conduit 37 passes through valve 38 and is released through a valve outlet 41 and a steam outlet conduit 42 that extends to outlet end 31.
A spring tab 43 is located at the distal end of hand grip 13 for allowing attachments to be placed at outlet end 31 and secured to hand grip 13. Tab 43 is positioned within an opening 44 in the upper portion of hand grip 13 and biased upwardly to extend above the upper surface of hand grip 13. Tab 43 is configured to fit within a corresponding opening within an attachment. This is illustrated and described in more detail in connection with an attachment such as a hose 20 having a button hole 20a shown in
Referring now to
Locking projecting tab 56 is provided at distal end 51b of unit 51 for providing the locking engagement mechanism with these attachments.
In accordance with the invention, unit 51 includes a liquid reservoir tank 57, in this case positioned at the bottom of unit 51, with a removable cap 58 for adding liquid cleaning fluid to reservoir 57. Unit 51 has a user operable release pump button 59 for injecting liquid stored in reservoir 57 into steam passing through a conduit 61 in liquid dispensing unit 51. Operation of pump button 59 will be described in detail in connection with
During operation, after button 59 is depressed and released, spring 67 biases piston 64 upwardly to fill cavity 63 with liquid from reservoir 57. When it is desired to inject cleaning fluid into conduit 61 to mix with the steam, button 59 is depressed forcing liquid cleaning fluid out outlet one-way valve 71 through conduit 72 into steam conduit 61. Here, liquid cleaning fluid from cavity 63 is injected into steam passing to outlet 51b directly onto the surface to be cleaned or through an optional attachment coupled thereto.
The diameter of the proximal end of conduit 61 of the liquid dispensing unit 51 is larger than the passageway 42 of the steam hand grip attachment 13 so that a tight connection can be formed between the conduit 61 of the liquid dispensing unit 51 and the passageway 42 of the steam hand grip attachment 13. A secure locking engagement of tab 56 with a spring allows a variety of cleaning nozzles to be engaged to the liquid dispensing unit 51 when assembled for use.
The liquid in reservoir 57 to be injected into the steam may be any suitable liquid cleaning agent such as soap or solvent, preferably, the liquid soap is fully miscible with water and bio-degradable. The solvents include cleaning solutions and degreasers.
Liquid dispensing unit provides many advantages over known steam cleaning devices. Here, a controlled and small amount of soap is selectively added to the steam outlet. This allows the surface to be steamed initially, soaped and steam added for increased cleaning, and then the soap rinsed from the cleaned surface by steam alone. The internal mechanism of the hand grip does not encounter the soap that is slowly injected into the steam being fed to the nozzle, pipe or appliance attached to the hand grip. Thus, there is no potential to clog or foul the steam release trigger mechanism. By injecting small amounts of liquid soap, the temperature and quality of the steam are not lowered.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above product without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.
