Patent Application
20060185622
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to steam generator systems and, more particularly, to a portable steam generation cleaning apparatus and kit for cleaning and clearing blockages in pipes for sewage and septic fields.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known steam machines have applications in cleaning, heating and propulsion. Special adaptation of steam cleaning apparatus are not configured for application to sewage and septic fields in clearing blockages and as a pipe cleaning apparatus.
Pipes for sewage and septic accumulate material including debris and ice blockages, particularly in cold weather on portions of a pipe between a structure and the septic tank or sewer. Typically exit from a structure by underground pipe to the local sewage system or to a septic field. In cold weather, such underground pipes can freeze. Blockages can develop for sewage exiting the structure causing failure of the system. Known steam devices have a limited power output, portability and use in hardened environments encountered in cleaning sewage and septic fields. Portable domestic cleaning appliances for clothing or general cleaning have deficiencies so as to limit such application to make their operation not satisfactory in the sewage and septic fields, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,972 B1.
Domestic steam cleaning appliances are already available, and where used for general cleaning, de-greasing and sterilizing, comprise a steam generator coupled to the appliance by a suitable hose. Other domestic steam cleaning appliances fail in their application to cleaning sewage and septic fields such as, for example, large systems are non-portable, with designs limited by the extent of the chord. A large steam generator is not truly or easily portable due to its size. Moreover, disadvantages of known large steam systems require heating up a significant quantity of water and maintaining the steam under pressure for use, both of which suffer that during delivery along the tube the steam has a tendency to cool down and to condense. Domestic portable steam cleaning systems suffer from a small quantity of water that may be insufficient to unfreeze a blockage in a submerged or buried frozen pipe. Portable steam cleaning systems designs have limitations for reaching a blockage and maintaining the steam under pressure for delivery of steam along the tube to the site, whereby the steam, of course, has a tendency to cool down and to condense.
Conventional pipe cleaning designs use an impeller configured by a separate cylinder that is inserted and operates to rub off adherent matter. A suggested solution is in using a chain-like part disposed on the inserted cylinder to rub the inside periphery of the pipe, whereby washing fluid flows through the pipe to carry the matter away, is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. JP2003/039033. Similarly an apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a long-length pipe, by which rubbish or the like on the inner surface of the pipeline is cleaned, is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. JP2003/181402. The apparatus utilizes a brush and jet nozzles 12 attached to a rotary cap 6 for jetting a liquid to clean the inner surface of the pipe. Another apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a long-length pipe includes a part for touching the inner surface that while rotating around a longitudinal axis and configured with guide bodies 3a and 3b so as to keep the apparatus in the axial center, as is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. JP2003/190898. The above cleaning apparatus must be pulled from one to the other end of the pipe to be cleaned, typically, by a guide rope. Another suggested solution has been to utilize a self-propelled sewer pipe cleaning apparatus as is disclosed in GB789510 that utilizes a brush and jet nozzles 12 attached to a rotary cap 6 for jetting a liquid to clean the inner surface of the pipe.
Other steam cleaning apparatus are known yet these do not work in this application as these consumer steam cleaning systems are directed to applications of cleaning or pressing clothing as well as cleaning exposed surfaces. However, the portable, steam generators of the art do not do solve the numerous problems in clearing debris and ice blockages from pipes, particularly in cold weather on portions of underground pipe between a structure and the septic tank or sewer. The construction of other prior art steam generators do not address these barriers and the portable, steam cleaning apparatus of the present invention advantageously satisfies this need.
In keeping with one aspect of this invention, a portable, steam generating apparatus has a steam generator unit configured with a tank having an integral handle and flange, a fluid supply inlet, a steam outlet, and a valve disposed on the steam outlet operable between an open and closed position. The steam generator unit is adapted to receive a pressure relief valve disposed on said tank so as to safely release excess pressure. A flexible conduit or hose is connected to the valve so as to control the delivery of steam by means of said flexible conduit means to clear blockages in underground sewage pipes. The steam generator unit can be heated by a heat source configured to heat fluid disposed in said tank to generate steam. The material or other blockage is removed by discharging a jet of steam onto it from a steam generating apparatus so as to clean and clear the pipe.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a steam generating kit adapted to clear blockages in underground sewage pipes. The kit includes the steam generating unit is configured with a pressure release valve, a control valve, a flexible conduit, and a burner assembly for heating the fluid in the tank.
These and other advantages of the present invention are best understood with reference to the drawings, in which:
Referring to
The portable, steam generating apparatus 10 is configured with a tank 11 with an inlet 13 having a cap 14, and a steam outlet 15. The tank 11 can be constructed from steel, fiberglass, ceramics, high-temperature plastics or other material that can be have a pressure tolerance of 85 to 125 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.) and is configured to withstand heating and steam temperatures. The tank 11 tank is a secured vessel that a user can dispose 2 to 3 gallons of water or other fluid for the generation of steam. The tank 11 can include a flange 12 for stabilizing the tank in an upright position during heating of the fluid disposed therein.
The inlet 13 and cap 14 close and seal the inlet 13 during the generation of steam. The inlet 13 can be constructed from a steel shaft or rod secured to an aperture made in the tank 10. The cap 14 can be a threaded steel cap of sufficient a pressure tolerance of 85 to 125 p.s.i. and withstand steam temperatures and above.
The steam outlet 15 can be constructed from a steel shaft or rod secured to another aperture made in the tank 10. The steel shaft 15 can be threaded and made adapted to be secured to the tank 10 and to receive a valve 16 for controlling the exit of steam from the steam generating apparatus. The valve 16 can be constructed of suitable materials and include a handle operable between an open and closed position. The valve 16 is further adapted to receive one end of a conduit, steam line or hose 17 so as to allow steam to flow 22 from one to another end of the conduit 17. The conduit 17 is constructed from materials that are stiff yet flexible so as to allow directed passage down a pipe 29 towards a blockage 30. Suitable conduit 17 is hose or steam line and Air Brake Tubing for truck brakes meeting the performance criteria of SAEJ844 and DOT FMVSS106 having a ⅝″ outer diameter rated for maximum pressure of 150 p.s.i. has been found suitable for application under the invention. Conventional air system nylon air brake tubing in conformance with SAE J844 Type B ⅝″ is manufactured by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics available under Synflex™ in various part number(s) conforming to the criteria of SAEJ844 and DOT FMVSS106.
The tank 11 is configured with a pressure release valve 18 that can include a gage indicating the pressure in the tank 11 such as, for example, the pressure may be indicated in units of p.s.i, atmosphere or torrs. Suitable pressure release valves 18 can be constructed for example from conventional spring biased valves 33 as shown in
A steam clearing kit 10 illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. For example, a portable generator can supply electrical power on-site to the portable steam generating unit. Flexible conduit comes in numerous constructions each of which may have suitable temperature ratings for application to deliver steam to clear blockages in underground sewage pipes. Moreover, application can be made in frozen water and water heating pipes should these be drained so as to reach any blockage. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention.
