CN108591989B

CN108591989B - Steam generator

Info

Publication number: CN108591989B
Application number: CN201810404453.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄伙旭
Original assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-28
Filing date: 2018-04-28
Publication date: 2021-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-28
Also published as: CN108591989A

Abstract

The invention discloses a steam generator, comprising: the liquid storage device comprises a shell, wherein a cavity is arranged in the shell, the cavity is provided with a liquid inlet, and the shell is provided with a through hole; heating means for heating the liquid in the cavity; the steam channel is arranged in the nozzle and provided with an inlet and an outlet, one part of the nozzle is arranged in the cavity so that the steam channel is communicated with the cavity through the inlet, the other part of the nozzle penetrates through the penetrating port to extend out of the shell, and the nozzle is rotatable relative to the penetrating port. The steam generator can spray steam in different directions, so that the flexibility of use can be improved, the working effect is enhanced, and the practicability is improved.

Description

Steam generator

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of domestic appliances, in particular to a steam generator.

Background

In the related art, after the steam generator is mounted on the related apparatus to which the steam generator is applied, the direction of the nozzle is fixed and cannot be adjusted, so that when the steam generator is used for heating foods of different sizes and shapes, the steam generator has a poor heating effect on the foods because the nozzle can only spray steam in the same fixed direction. When the steam generator is used for high-temperature cleaning, the nozzle can only spray steam in the same fixed direction, so that the cleaning effect of the steam generator is poor, and the problem that oil stains in local areas cannot be removed is easily caused. It is known that the utility of the related art steam generator is to be improved.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to solving at least one of the problems of the prior art. Therefore, the invention provides the steam generator which can spray steam in different directions, so that the use flexibility can be improved, the working effect can be enhanced, and the practicability can be improved.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a steam generator includes: the liquid storage device comprises a shell, wherein a cavity is arranged in the shell, the cavity is provided with a liquid inlet, and the shell is provided with a through hole; heating means for heating the liquid in the cavity; the steam channel is arranged in the nozzle and provided with an inlet and an outlet, one part of the nozzle is arranged in the cavity so that the steam channel is communicated with the cavity through the inlet, the other part of the nozzle penetrates through the penetrating port to extend out of the shell, and the nozzle is rotatable relative to the penetrating port.

According to the steam generator provided by the embodiment of the invention, the nozzle can rotate relative to the penetrating opening, so that the steam generator provided by the embodiment of the invention can spray steam in different directions, namely the steam generator can control the direction of the nozzle for spraying the steam according to actual application requirements, the use flexibility of the steam generator can be improved to a certain extent, the working effect of the steam generator is enhanced, and the practicability of the steam generator is improved.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a support post is provided within the cavity, and the portion of the nozzle within the cavity is rotatably supported on the support post.

Specifically, a supporting arc surface is arranged on the supporting column, and an assembly curved surface matched with the supporting arc surface is arranged on the nozzle.

Further, the nozzle is provided with a spherical portion to form the fitting curved surface.

In particular, a portion of the housing is recessed inwardly to define the support post.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the through-going opening is arcuately mated with an outer peripheral wall of the nozzle.

Further, the cross-sectional area of the through-penetration gradually decreases in a direction away from the center of the cavity.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the steam passage includes a plurality of inlet passages, one end of the collecting passage communicates with the plurality of inlet passages, respectively, and the other end of the collecting passage forms the outlet, and each of the inlet passages has the inlet provided on a peripheral wall of the nozzle.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the housing comprises: the liquid inlet is arranged on the box body, and one side of the box body is open; the cover body is arranged on the open side of the box body so as to limit the cavity between the box body, and the heating device is arranged in the box body.

Further, the casing still includes the sealing washer, the sealing washer is established the box body with between the lid.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Drawings

The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is an exploded view of a steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a right side view of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a cover according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 11;

fig. 13 is a front view of a steam generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view D1 taken along line D-D of FIG. 13, with the nozzle angled upwardly relative to the through-bore;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view D2 taken along line D-D of FIG. 13, with the outlet of the nozzle oriented horizontally;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view D3 taken along line D-D of FIG. 13, with the nozzle angled upward relative to the through-bore.

Reference numerals:

a steam generator 100;

a housing 1; a cavity a; a case 11; a liquid inlet 11 a; a support column 111; support arc surface 111 a;

a first fixed portion 112; a threaded hole 112 a; a mounting groove 113;

a lid 12; a through-hole 12 a; an activity space 12 b; mounting holes 12 c; a second fixing portion 121; through the holes 121 a;

a heating device 2;

a nozzle 3; a steam passage 31; an inlet 31 a; an outlet 31 b; a summing channel 311; an inlet channel 312;

a spherical portion 32; the fitting curved surface 32 a; a tapered portion 33;

a screw 4; and a seal ring 5.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar function throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are illustrative only for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "central," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the orientations and positional relationships indicated in the drawings for convenience in describing the invention and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention. Furthermore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

Referring to fig. 1 to 16, a steam generator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described, and the steam generator 100 may be used in a domestic appliance such as a humidifier (not shown), a drying cabinet (not shown), and a steamer (not shown).

As shown in fig. 1 to 16, a steam generator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing 1, a heating device 2 and a nozzle 3.

Specifically, a cavity a is provided in the housing 1, the cavity a has a liquid inlet 11a, and the housing 1 is provided with a through hole 12 a. The heating device 2 is used for heating the liquid in the cavity a. Whereby the liquid (e.g. water, oil, acid, etc. liquid substance) in the cavity a can be transformed into steam under the action of the heating means 2.

A steam passage 31 is provided in the nozzle 3, the steam passage 31 having an inlet 31a and an outlet 31b, a portion of the nozzle 3 being provided in the cavity a so that the steam passage 31 communicates with the cavity a through the inlet 31a, and another portion of the nozzle 3 passing through the through-hole 12a to protrude out of the housing 1. It can be seen that the steam generated in the cavity a can flow out of the housing 1 through the steam passage 31 in the nozzle 3, thereby ensuring a proper operation of the steam generator 100.

The nozzle 3 is rotatable relative to the through-hole 12 a. That is, the nozzle 3 has a certain rotation range relative to the through hole 12a, so that the steam generator 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can spray steam in different directions, that is, the steam generator 100 can control the direction of the steam sprayed by the nozzle 3 according to the actual application requirement, thereby improving the flexibility of the steam generator 100, enhancing the working effect of the steam generator 100, and improving the practicability of the steam generator 100 to a certain extent. It will be appreciated that the range of rotation of the nozzle 3 relative to the through-hole 12a can be set according to the actual design requirements, for example, the nozzle 3 can be rotated up and down 10 degrees relative to the through-hole 12a, respectively.

According to the steam generator 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle 3 is rotatable relative to the through hole 12a, so that the steam generator 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can spray steam in different directions, that is, the steam generator 100 can control the direction of the nozzle 3 spraying steam according to the actual application requirement, thereby improving the flexibility of the steam generator 100, enhancing the working effect of the steam generator 100, and improving the practicability of the steam generator 100 to a certain extent.

As shown in fig. 2, 14-16, according to some embodiments of the present invention, a support column 111 is provided in the cavity a, and a portion of the nozzle 3 located in the cavity a is rotatably supported on the support column 111. It can be seen that the support column 111 is provided to fix the position of the nozzle 3 relative to the cavity a, so that the nozzle 3 is stably and rotatably disposed in the cavity a.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 2, there are a plurality of nozzles 3, a plurality of support columns 111, and the plurality of support columns 111 are matched with the plurality of nozzles 3 in a one-to-one correspondence. Thereby contributing to an improvement in the operation efficiency of the steam generator 100.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, 11 and 12, the support arc surface 111a is provided on the support column 111, and the assembly curved surface 32a matched with the support arc surface 111a is provided on the nozzle 3. Therefore, the nozzle 3 can rotate relative to the through hole 12a through the matching of the assembly curved surface 32a and the support curved surface 111a, so that the reliability of the nozzle 3 supported on the support column 111 can be ensured, and the reliability of the nozzle 3 capable of rotating can also be ensured. It will be appreciated that the smoother the surfaces of the support cambered surfaces 111a and the fitting curved surfaces 32a, the more flexible the rotation of the nozzle 3. It should be noted that the supporting arc-shaped surface 111a and the fitting curved surface 32a may be a circular curved surface or an elliptical curved surface, as long as the reliability of the fit between the supporting arc-shaped surface 111a and the fitting curved surface 32a is ensured.

Further, as shown in fig. 2 to 8 and 14 to 16, the nozzle 3 is provided with a spherical portion 32 to form a fitting curved surface 32 a. Thereby make the simple structure of nozzle 3, the manufacturing of assembly curved surface 32a is convenient, is favorable to nozzle 3 to rotate simultaneously, makes assembly curved surface 32a and the regional increase of cooperation that supports cambered surface 111a to be favorable to increasing nozzle 3 and wear to establish the rotation range of mouthful 12a relatively, improve steam generator 100's reliability and practicality.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 12, a part of the housing 1 is recessed inward to define a support column 111. Therefore, the structure of the supporting column 111 is simple, the manufacturing is convenient, and meanwhile, the supporting column 111 is defined by a part of the housing 1, that is, the housing 1 and the supporting column 111 are integrally formed, so that the assembly efficiency of the steam generator 100 is improved, and the production efficiency of the steam generator 100 is improved.

According to some embodiments of the invention, as shown in fig. 14-16, the through-holes 12a are fitted with the peripheral wall arc of the nozzle 3. Therefore, the nozzle 3 can be highly reliable relative to the rotation of the through opening 12a, and the nozzle 3 can be prevented from rubbing against the inner peripheral wall of the through opening 12a to a certain extent when rotating, so that the reliability of the steam generator 100 can be improved, and the service life of the steam generator 100 can be prolonged. It should be noted that the arc surface of the through hole 12a and the outer peripheral wall of the nozzle 3, which are matched with each other, may be a circular arc surface, an elliptical arc surface, or the like, as long as the reliability of the arc surface matching between the through hole 12a and the outer peripheral wall of the nozzle 3 is ensured.

Further, as shown in fig. 10, 14 to 16, the cross-sectional area of the through-hole 12a is gradually reduced in a direction away from the center of the cavity a. Thereby, the reliability of the nozzle 3 in the cavity a can be ensured to a certain extent, the reliability of the rotation of the nozzle 3 can be ensured, and simultaneously, the nozzle 3 can be effectively prevented from completely extending out of the housing 1 through the through opening 12a, and further, the reliability of the steam generator 100 can be improved.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 1 to 6 and 14 to 16, the nozzle 3 is provided with a tapered portion 33 to protrude through the opening 12a, the cross-sectional area of the tapered portion 33 gradually decreasing in a direction away from the center of the cavity a. Thereby the structure of the nozzle 3 is simple, the nozzle 3 can conveniently extend out of the through opening 12a, and the nozzle 3 can conveniently rotate relative to the through opening 12 a. It will be appreciated that before the operation of the steam generator 100, the user may dial the tapered portion 33 to rotate the nozzle 3 according to the actual spraying direction requirement of the steam generator 100.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, 2, 9, 10, 13 to 16, the housing 1 is provided with a movable space 12b communicating with the through hole 12a and located outside the through hole 12a, a part of the tapered portion 33 passes through the movable space 12b, and the cross-sectional area of the movable space 12b gradually increases in a direction away from the center of the cavity a. It is thereby ensured that the tapered portion 33 can rotate in the movable space 12b, and the reliability of the rotation of the nozzle 3 is ensured.

As shown in fig. 4, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the steam passage 31 includes a plurality of inlet passages 312 and a collecting passage 311, one end of the collecting passage 311 communicates with the plurality of inlet passages 312, respectively, the other end of the collecting passage 311 forms an outlet 31b, and each of the inlet passages 312 has an inlet 31a provided on the peripheral wall of the nozzle 3. Therefore, the steam generated in the cavity a can flow into the steam channel 31 through the inlets 31a of the plurality of inlet channels 312, which is beneficial to increasing the steam flow rate of the steam sprayed by the steam generator 100, and further increasing the working efficiency of the steam generator 100. Meanwhile, the steam generator 100 can still spray steam under the condition that part of the inlet channels 312 are blocked to a certain extent, so that the reliability and the use flexibility of the steam generator 100 are improved.

Optionally, the cross-section of the summing channel 311 and the inlet channel 312 are both formed as circles. Thereby making the structure of the collecting channel 311 and the inlet channel 312 simple and convenient to manufacture. Meanwhile, the steam guide device has a certain flow guide effect and is convenient for steam to flow. It is of course understood that the shape of the cross-section of the collecting passage 311 and the inlet passage 312 is not limited thereto, but may be formed in other shapes, such as an oval shape, etc., as long as the reliability of the steam generator 100 is ensured.

Alternatively, the plurality of inlet channels 312 are formed as blind holes with respect to each other. Thereby facilitating an increase in the steam flow area of the inlet channel 312 and thus improving the operation efficiency of the steam generator 100.

Optionally, at least two of the plurality of inlet channels 312 are formed as through holes with respect to each other. Thereby facilitating the manufacture of the steam channel 31.

Alternatively, the nozzle 3 is plural. Thereby contributing to an improvement in the operation efficiency of the steam generator 100.

Further, as shown in fig. 2, 9, 10, and 13, the plurality of penetration holes 12a are provided, and the plurality of penetration holes 12a are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzles 3. So that the plurality of nozzles 3 are independent of each other, the reliability of the steam generator 100 can be improved to some extent.

As shown in fig. 1, 2, 9-16, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing 1 comprises: a hollow box 11 and a cover 12. Wherein the liquid inlet 11a is arranged on the box body 11, one side of the box body 11 is opened, the cover body 12 is arranged on the opened side of the box body 11 to define a cavity a with the box body 11, and the heating device 2 is arranged in the box body 11. Accordingly, the housing 1 has a simple structure, which facilitates the assembly of the steam generator 100, and is advantageous for improving the production efficiency of the steam generator 100 and reducing the manufacturing cost of the steam generator 100. The inlet 11a may be provided on the cover 12, and the heating device 2 may be provided on the cover 12, as long as the operational reliability of the steam generator 100 is ensured.

Alternatively, the heating device 2 is a heat generating tube. Thereby making the heating device 2 simple in structure and low in cost.

Further, the heating device 2 is plural. Thereby contributing to an improvement in the operation efficiency of the steam generator 100.

Specifically, the plurality of heating devices 2 are connected by terminals (not shown). Thereby making the connection of a plurality of heating devices 2 simple and reliable. The connection method of the plurality of heating devices 2 is not limited to this, and may be a connection method by a screw 4 or a wire bonding method. As long as the reliability of the interconnection of the plurality of heating apparatuses 2 is ensured.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, 9 and 10, the cover 12 is provided with a through hole 12 a. It can be seen that the nozzle 3 penetrates the cover 12 to ensure the normal operation of the steam generator 100.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 1, 2 and 9, the cover 12 is provided with a mounting hole 12c, and the mounting hole 12c is used to connect the steam generator 100 with a product to which it is applied. Thereby facilitating the connection of the steam generator 100 with the corresponding product and the assembly of the steam generator 100 to the corresponding product.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, fig. 2, fig. 9, fig. 10, fig. 14 to fig. 16, the case 11 is provided with a first fixing portion 112, the cover 12 is provided with a second fixing portion 121, and the first fixing portion 112 and the second fixing portion 121 cooperate to fix the cover 12 on the case 11. Accordingly, when the steam generator 100 is assembled, the cover 12 can be fixed to the housing 1 by completely engaging the first fixing portion 112 with the second fixing portion 121.

Further, a screw hole 112a is formed on the first fixing portion 112, a through hole 121a is formed on the second fixing portion 121, and the screw 4 passes through the second fixing portion 121 to be screw-engaged with the first fixing portion 112. Therefore, the assembly method between the box body 11 and the cover body 12 is simple and reliable, which facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the steam generator 100, and is beneficial to ensuring the connection strength between the box body 11 and the cover body 12.

Specifically, the first fixing portions 112 are plural, the second fixing portions 121 are plural, and the plural first fixing portions 112 are matched with the plural second fixing portions 121 in a one-to-one correspondence manner. Thereby, the reliability of the connection between the box 11 and the cover 12 can be further ensured, and the reliability of the steam generator 100 can be further improved, which is beneficial to improving the connection strength between the box 11 and the cover 12.

Further, the plurality of first fixing portions 112 are uniformly spaced along the outer circumferential wall of the case 11. Thereby contributing to the improvement of the reliability of the structure of the steam generator 100 and making the structure of the steam generator 100 more reasonable and reliable.

Further, as shown in fig. 2, the housing 1 further includes a sealing ring 5, and the sealing ring 5 is disposed between the box body 11 and the cover body 12. Therefore, the sealing effect of the cavity a can be improved to a certain extent, the efficiency of the heating device 2 for heating the liquid in the cavity a to generate steam is improved, and the working efficiency of the steam generator 100 can be improved to a certain extent.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2 and 11, the case 11 is provided with a mounting groove 113 for mounting the gasket 5 on a side facing the cover 12. Thereby contributing to an increase in space utilization of the steam generator 100 while ensuring a certain sealability within the cavity a.

Optionally, a seal (not shown) is provided between the nozzle 3 and the through-going opening 12 a. Thereby being beneficial to improving the sealing performance of the cavity a and further improving the efficiency of the heating device 2 for heating the liquid in the cavity a to generate steam, i.e. improving the working efficiency of the steam generator 100 to a certain extent.

Optionally, the box 11 is welded to the cover 12. Thereby, the reliability of the connection between the case 11 and the cover 12 can be ensured, and the structural strength of the steam generator 100 can be improved to some extent.

Specifically, the box 11 and the cover 12 are cast aluminum. Thereby contributing to a light weight of the steam generator 100 and reducing a manufacturing cost of the steam generator 100. The materials of case 11 and lid 12 are not limited to these, and may be stainless steel, plastic, or the like, as long as the reliability of case 1 is ensured.

Optionally, the steam generator 100 further includes a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting a temperature within the cavity a. Thereby be convenient for test steam generator 100 interior steam's temperature, improve user's travelling comfort, avoid scalding the user because steam temperature is too high to a certain extent.

Optionally, the steam generator 100 further comprises a temperature control means (not shown) for controlling the temperature of the steam. Therefore, the temperature of the steam in the cavity a can be effectively controlled, the reliability of the steam generator 100 can be ensured, and the use safety of the steam generator 100 can be improved.

Other constructions and operations of the steam generator 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein.

In the description herein, references to the description of the term "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an illustrative embodiment," "an example," "a specific example," or "some examples" or the like mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

While embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A steam generator, comprising:

the liquid storage device comprises a shell, wherein a cavity is arranged in the shell, the cavity is provided with a liquid inlet, and the shell is provided with a through hole;

heating means for heating the liquid in the cavity;

the nozzle is internally provided with a steam channel, the steam channel is provided with an inlet and an outlet, one part of the nozzle is arranged in the cavity so as to enable the steam channel to be communicated with the cavity through the inlet, the other part of the nozzle penetrates through the penetrating port to extend out of the shell, the nozzle can rotate relative to the penetrating port, the penetrating port is matched with the arc surface of the peripheral wall of the nozzle, the cross section area of the penetrating port is gradually reduced in the direction far away from the center of the cavity,

the nozzle is provided with a conical part to extend out of the through hole, the cross section area of the conical part is gradually reduced in the direction far away from the center of the cavity, the shell is provided with a movable space which is communicated with the through hole and is positioned outside the through hole, a part of the conical part penetrates out of the movable space, and the cross section area of the movable space is gradually increased in the direction far away from the center of the cavity;

a support post is disposed in the cavity, a portion of the nozzle within the cavity is rotatably supported on the support post, and a portion of the housing is recessed inwardly to define the support post.

2. The steam generator of claim 1, wherein the support pillar is provided with a support arc surface, and the nozzle is provided with an assembly curved surface engaged with the support arc surface.

3. The steam generator of claim 2, wherein the nozzle is provided with a spherical portion to form the fitting curved surface.

4. The steam generator of claim 1, wherein the steam passage includes a plurality of inlet passages and a collecting passage, one end of the collecting passage communicates with the plurality of inlet passages, respectively, the other end of the collecting passage forms the outlet, and each of the inlet passages has the inlet provided on a peripheral wall of the nozzle.

5. The steam generator of any of claims 1-4, wherein the housing comprises:

the liquid inlet is arranged on the box body, and one side of the box body is open;

the cover body is arranged on the open side of the box body so as to limit the cavity between the box body, and the heating device is arranged in the box body.

6. The steam generator of claim 5, further comprising a seal ring disposed between the cartridge and the cover.