DE29807677U1 - Device for steaming clothing - Google Patents

Description

Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte 'Gmb'H * &bgr;&iacgr;&bgr;69 Munich, 2e.04.9e

Hochstrasse 17

ZTP 98 P 1002
Kes/vL

Device for steaming clothes

The invention relates to a device for steaming clothing, with a container holding the clothing and with a steam generator communicating with the container.

In a known device (BR-PS 960 18 17), an item of clothing can be hung in a stationary container and steamed using an integrated steam generator. Mains-operated and portable steam generators are also known for freshening up outerwear, which the user can move by hand over the parts of the garment that need to be freshened, for example to remove wrinkles.

The invention is based on the object of designing a device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it is easy to handle and store, i.e. particularly suitable for use in the home and when travelling.

This task is solved in a device for steaming clothing, with a container that holds the clothing and a steam generator that communicates with the container, in that the container is designed in the form of a flexible and transportable clothing bag. In this way, the device can be used in the home and especially when traveling without any problems, and the device can be stored in a very small space. The steam emitted by the steam generator spreads in the clothing bag, preferably from bottom to top, and to a certain extent smooths out wrinkles in the clothing. At the same time, a type of "rectification" takes place, i.e. a dissolving and removal of organic and easily boiling contaminants in the material (for example body sweat). If necessary, a suitable solvent or an odorant can be added to the evaporating water to support this rectification. Due to the relatively small volume of the clothing bag, a small steam generator with a small water reservoir and evaporator capacity is sufficient.

ZTP98P1002

&ogr;- stung. This steam generator is preferably located in the lower area, e.g. at the bottom

open or closable end of the garment bag fixed or easily detachable.

Preferably, a commercially available clothes hanger is used as a carrier for the item of clothing and in particular also for the garment bag, whereby the hook element of the clothes hanger placed in the garment bag together with the item of clothing can be guided through an opening in the upper edge of the garment bag. This opening can be dimensioned such that the non-condensed steam or the air placed in the garment bag can flow out to a certain extent.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the inner volume of the garment bag is dimensioned so that the item of clothing can be hung in it without touching the inner surface of the garment bag. The aforementioned clothes hanger can be used for this purpose, or additional spacers in the form of dimensionally stable ribs or the like. A slight pneumatic overpressure in the loaded garment bag is also conceivable, which inflates it and keeps it away from the item of clothing. This avoids unwanted contact between the item of clothing and the garment bag and thus, for example, unwanted condensation in the material.

The invention is explained below using an embodiment shown in the drawing.

The drawing shows the device for steaming clothing in a simplified, schematic representation. Here, a piece of clothing K, for example a jacket, is hung on an essentially conventional clothes hanger 1 with a hook element 2. This unit is inserted into an essentially conventional, flexible garment bag 3, which is essentially closed at the top and whose lower seam is open for the insertion of the aforementioned unit and can be closed, for example, by means of a drawstring or a zipper. In a manner not shown in more detail, a small electric steam generator 4 is fixedly or detachably attached to this lower seam, which can be connected to the electrical power network via a connecting cable 5. This steam generator 4 contains a small water reservoir, an electric heating device and, if necessary, a low-power fan. In the upper limit of the clothes bag

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&Zgr;&Tgr;&Rgr;98&Rgr;1002

sack 3 there is an opening at 6 for the hook element 2 of the clothes hanger 1 to pass through. The garment bag 3 is hung on the aforementioned hook element 2 together with the item of clothing K, for example on a clothes rail. In order to prevent contact between the item of clothing K and the inner surface of the garment bag 3 during the steaming treatment of the item of clothing K, a largely dimensionally stable, for example rib-like, spacer 8 is incorporated into the upper border of the garment bag 3 and/or a spacer 9, for example a tube-like spacer, which also serves as a spacer, is attached to the hook element 2. For the aforementioned treatment of the item of clothing K, the steam generator 4 is switched on and the steam indicated by arrows flows through the garment bag 3 from bottom to top, whereby the cleaning and smoothing effect mentioned at the beginning occurs. The steam or the air component can, for example, flow out through the aforementioned opening 6.

The clothing bag mentioned can be designed to be thermally insulated on the inside, for example, to reduce the tendency for condensation. Condensed water can drain off the inside of the clothing bag. The funnel-like geometry of the lower seam (e.g. by tying this seam together) allows the condensate to be returned to the steam generator 4.

Claims (6)

-Y- ZTP 98 P 1002 Protection claims 1. Device for steaming garments, with a container holding the garment and with a steam generator communicating with the container, characterized in that the container is designed in the form of a flexible and transportable clothing bag (3). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that as a carrier for a clothes hanger (1) is provided for the item of clothing (K) and in particular also for the garment bag (3). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the hook element (2) of the clothes hanger (1) introduced into the garment bag (3) together with the item of clothing (K) is guided through an opening (6) in the upper boundary of the garment bag (3). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal volume of the garment bag (3) is dimensioned such that the item of clothing (K) can be hung in the garment bag (3) without contact with the inner surface of the garment bag (3). 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that between the supporting part of the clothes hanger and the inner surface of the hanging garment bag (3) Spacers (8, 9) are provided. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steam generator (4) is arranged in the lower region, preferably at the lower open or closable end of the clothing bag (3).