ES2455224T3 - Steam cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Steam cleaning equipment with a liquid tank (24) that is connected to an electrically heatable steam boiler (26) for the generation of steam which can be applied on a surface to be cleaned, in which the boiler steam (26) has a safety valve (38) that opens in the event of unacceptably high steam pressure in the steam boiler and is integrated into a maintenance shut-off (36) detachable from the steam boiler (26), characterized in that the safety valve (38) can be covered by a cover element (54) that can be moved back and forth between a closed position that covers the maintenance lock (36) and a release position that releases the maintenance lock (36).

Description

Steam cleaning equipment

The invention relates to a steam cleaning equipment with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Similar steam cleaning equipment is used for cleaning the most different surfaces, in particular for cleaning hard surfaces. They comprise an electrically heated steam boiler for the evaporation of a liquid cleaning agent, in particular for the evaporation of water. The generated steam can be applied on the surface to be cleaned, for example, on a floor surface.

For safety reasons the steam boiler has a safety valve that opens when an inadmissibly high steam pressure is formed inside the steam boiler.

During the operation of the steam cleaning equipment, lime is deposited in the steam boiler, as long as the steam cleaning equipment is not operated with distilled water. For the decalcification of the steam boiler, it usually has a maintenance opening that is closed during normal operation of the steam cleaning equipment by a maintenance closure. The maintenance closure can be separated by the user so that it extracts the liquid located in the steam boiler and can fill the steam boiler with a descaling solution. The descaling solution then usually remains for some time in the steam boiler in order to release the lime located in the steam boiler, and then the descaling solution is extracted again through the maintenance opening. The maintenance opening can then be closed again by the user by means of the maintenance closure, so that the steam cleaning equipment can then be operated again for cleaning a surface.

From the American patent registration US 2005/0102789 A1 a steam cleaning equipment is known in which the safety valve is disposed inside the housing. This has the consequence that in the case of a fault with an inadmissibly high vapor pressure inside the steam boiler, the steam that flows through the safety valve as well as the liquid droplets carried by the steam are distributed inside the housing. Then they can come into contact in this case with live parts.

Steam cleaning equipment is also known (US 2003/0024574 A1) in which the safety valve is integrated in a detachable maintenance closure of the steam boiler and protrudes from the housing on its upper side. In the event of a breakdown, the steam that comes out through the safety valve as well as the liquid droplets carried by the steam can be delivered to the outer space of the steam cleaning equipment surrounding the housing. The danger of vapor or droplets of entrained liquid coming into contact with live parts is therefore low. However, there is a danger that the outgoing steam as well as the droplets of hot liquid entrained will harm the user.

The objective of the present invention is to improve a steam cleaning equipment of the type mentioned at the beginning, so as to reduce the risk of loss of the user in case of opening of the safety valve and simplify the handling of the cleaning equipment to steam.

This objective is solved according to the invention in a steam cleaning equipment of the generic type because the safety valve can be covered by a cover element that can be moved from one side to another between a closing position that covers the maintenance closure and a release position that releases the maintenance closure.

In the steam cleaning equipment according to the invention, the safety valve is integrated in the maintenance closure, with the aid of which the maintenance opening of the steam boiler is closed during normal operation of the steam cleaning equipment. If an inadmissibly high pressure in the steam boiler is constituted in the event of a breakdown, then the steam can flow out through the safety valve. For user protection, the safety valve integrated in the maintenance closure is covered by a cover element. The cover element therefore decreases a direct contact of the user with the outgoing steam through the safety valve and the hot liquid droplets carried by the steam.

To ensure that the maintenance closure is accessible to the user for the decalcification of the steam boiler, the cover element can be moved from one side to the other between a closing position that covers the maintenance closure and therefore also the valve safety and a release position that releases the maintenance closure together with the safety valve. For decalcification of the steam boiler the cover element can be moved to its release position, so that the maintenance closure can then be separated from the maintenance opening.

The steam cleaning equipment according to the invention thus stands out, on the one hand, by simple manipulation, on the other hand, it is guaranteed that the steam that comes out through the safety valve in the event of a breakdown and droplets of liquid entrained cannot reach the user directly.

It is favorable that the cover element is movably secured in the housing. For example, it may be subject to

movable in the housing, so that it can be moved from one side to the other between its closed position and its release position. For this purpose, the housing can configure a guide that receives the cover element.

It is especially advantageous for the cover element to be pivotally mounted in the housing. It can be pivoted from side to side between its closed position and its release position. A pivotable assembly of the cover element in the housing can be carried out economically and the manipulation of a cover element pivotally mounted in the housing is conceived very easily for the user.

It is also especially advantageous, in particular for a pleasant shape of the housing, that the cover element is integrated in its closed position in an outer contour of the housing. The cover element fits the contour of the housing in its closed position in a similar configuration. This results in an especially pleasant configuration of the steam cleaning equipment. Neither the cover element nor the safety valve and the maintenance closure protrude from the housing in a similar configuration. Rather, they are incorporated into the housing as long as they are covered by the cover element adapted to the contour of the housing. In this way, it is also kept especially under the danger of deterioration of the maintenance closure and the safety valve.

In an advantageous embodiment of the steam cleaning equipment according to the invention, the housing has a first depression in which the maintenance closure is arranged and which can be covered by the cover element. The first depression can be configured in the manner of a bucket or hopper that is preferably arranged on the upper side of the housing. The first depression is closed by the cover element in the closed position of the cover element. In the first depression the maintenance closure is easily accessible to the user. For this, it is only necessary to move the cover element to its release position.

It is favorable that the cover element in its closing position be spaced from the maintenance closure, a steam expansion chamber extending between the cover element and the maintenance closure. The facilitation of a steam expansion chamber, which at least partially surrounds the maintenance closure, has the advantage that in the case of a fault with an inadmissibly high pressure inside the steam boiler, the steam leaving Through the safety valve it can be expanded in the steam expansion chamber adjacent to the safety valve. In this way, it remains especially under the danger of a decrease in the user due to outgoing steam. Liquid droplets carried by the steam can be separated on the wall of the steam expansion chamber. Inside the steam expansion chamber, the outgoing steam can be cooled by contact with the walls of the steam expansion chamber. At least a part of the outgoing steam can therefore be condensed in the steam expansion chamber, the condensate can be separated in the walls of the steam expansion chamber.

It is especially advantageous for the cover element in its closed position to release a steam outlet opening through which the steam can escape horizontally from the steam expansion chamber after the opening of the safety valve. The steam that comes out through the safety valve first reaches the steam expansion chamber. A part of the steam can be condensed and separated there inside the steam expansion chamber. A remaining part of the steam can flow out of the steam expansion chamber horizontally through the steam outlet opening. Inside the steam expansion chamber, the outgoing steam may experience a deflection in the wall of the steam expansion chamber. This increases the steam separation ratio. The steam flowing out of the steam expansion chamber leaves the steam expansion chamber horizontally. Therefore, it is extraordinarily under the danger of the user coming into contact with the outgoing steam or droplets of entrained liquid.

The cross-sectional surface of the steam outlet is favorably at least as large as the opening cross-section of the safety valve. The facilitation of a proportionally large cross-sectional area for the steam outlet opening has the consequence that the steam exiting through the steam outlet opening has a proportionally low flow rate. In this way the danger of a reduction of the user can be reduced. The opening cross-section of the safety valve can be, for example, 20 mm2. The cross-sectional area of the steam outlet opening is preferably a multiple of the opening cross-section of the safety valve, for example, 1,500 mm2.

It is advantageous that the cross-sectional area of the steam outlet opening is at least 200 mm2.

The steam cleaning equipment preferably comprises a reception chamber that is in flow connection with the steam expansion chamber through the steam outlet opening. The steam that flows into the steam expansion chamber in the event of a breakdown through the safety valve can leave it through the steam outlet opening. The steam can then be received by the reception chamber of the steam cleaning equipment. Inside the reception chamber you may experience further cooling, at least a part of the steam condensing and the droplets of liquid being drawn in large part on the wall of the reception chamber.

The reception chamber can be arranged inside the housing. However, it can also be provided that the reception chamber is formed by a depression of the housing. Depression can be configured in the manner of

a bucket or hopper.

It is especially favorable that the housing has a first depression that can be covered by the cover element and in which the maintenance closure is arranged, as well as a second depression adjacent to the first depression that configures the receiving chamber. The first depression is covered during normal operation of the steam cleaning equipment by the cover element that adopts its closed position. The second depression can be accessible to the user during normal operation of the steam cleaning equipment.

It is advantageous that the first depression becomes the second depression through a descending step. The first depression configures the steam expansion chamber that is in flow connection with the reception chamber formed by the second depression through the steam outlet opening. The descending step between the first depression and the second depression has the advantage that the second depression has a greater depth than the first depression and thus can configure a collecting chamber for liquid droplets carried by the steam, as well as for the condensate that separates into the wall of the second depression.

The reception chamber can not only serve to receive the steam that comes out through the safety valve in the event of a fault but, in case of an advantageous configuration of the invention, the reception chamber configures a storage compartment for the placement of a cable, a tube and / or one or more accessories of the steam cleaning equipment when the steam cleaning equipment is not in operation. For this, the storage compartment may be open on at least one side. It may be provided, for example, that the user can place a network cable of the steam cleaning equipment in the storage compartment when the storage equipment is out of order. During operation of the steam cleaning equipment, the mains cable can be connected to an external voltage supply. At times when the steam cleaning equipment is not in operation, the network cable can be placed in the storage compartment. The storage compartment can therefore be accessible to the user in particular on the upper side of the housing of the steam cleaning equipment.

As already explained, the user can separate the maintenance closure for the descaling of the steam boiler. The user can pour the liquid still in the steam boiler through the maintenance opening. You can then introduce a descaling solution into the steam boiler, which is then poured back into the maintenance opening after performing the descaling. The pouring of a liquid out of the steam boiler is facilitated, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, because the cover element in its closed position configures a pouring aid for the pouring of a liquid out of the steam boiler After opening the maintenance closure. In addition to its function of avoiding a loss of the user due to the outgoing steam, the cover element also has in a similar configuration of the steam cleaning equipment additionally the function of simplifying the pouring of a liquid out of the steam boiler through the maintenance opening The cover element configures a pouring aid in its release position. This simplifies the pouring of the liquid by the user.

For example, it may be provided that the cover element in its release position configures a groove protruding from the housing. In this way a liquid can be poured especially easily out of the steam boiler through the maintenance opening.

The groove preferably narrows in the direction of pouring, that is, in the direction opposite to the maintenance opening.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves the explanation in more detail in relation to the drawing. They show:

Figure 1:

a perspective representation of a steam cleaning equipment;

Figure 2:

A partial sectional view of the steam cleaning equipment in the area of a maintenance closure with integrated safety valve that is covered by a cover element.

Figure 3:

a partial sectional view according to figure 2 during the steam outlet through the safety valve;

Figure 4:

a partial sectional view according to figure 2, the cover element occupying a release position for the pouring of a liquid, and

Figure 5:

a partial perspective view of the steam cleaning equipment of figure 1, occupying the element

Cover your release position.

In the drawing, a portable steam cleaning device is described schematically, in conjunction with reference 10, with a housing 12 having on its upper side 14 a carrying handle 16. On a front side 18 of 10

the housing 12 is arranged a tube connection 20 to which a steam delivery tube 22 can be connected. At the free end of the steam delivery tube 22 not shown in the drawing, a delivery nozzle can be connected in a usual manner steam. Alternatively, with the free end of the steam delivery tube 22 an extension tube can be connected to which a steam delivery nozzle can be connected again, in particular a floor nozzle. Extension tubes and similar steam delivery nozzles are known per se to the specialist.

Above the tube connection 20 in the housing 12 there is a liquid reservoir 24 that can be separated from the housing 12 and can be filled with a cleaning liquid, preferably with water. As clarified by FIG. 4, the housing 12 surrounds an electrically heated steam boiler 26 which is connected through an inlet line 28 with the liquid reservoir 24. In the inlet line 28 a pump 30 is connected through from which the cleaning liquid from the liquid reservoir 24 can be transported to the steam boiler 26. The steam boiler 26 is in flow connection with the tube connection 20 through an outlet line 32. Inside from the steam boiler 26 the liquid provided by the liquid reservoir 24 can be evaporated and the steam can then be directed through the tube connection 20 and the steam delivery tube 22 connected thereto to a surface to be cleaned, in particular a floor surface.

The steam boiler 26 has a maintenance opening 34 shown in Figure 4 which can be closed by means of a maintenance closure 36. A safety valve 38 is integrated in the maintenance closure. If in the event of a breakdown inside from the steam boiler 26 an unacceptably high steam pressure is constituted, then the safety valve 38 is opened so that the pressure in the steam boiler can be lowered

26. The steam can escape in this case from the steam boiler 26 through the safety valve 38.

The maintenance opening 34 is disposed at the free end of a tubing 40 connected in one piece with the steam boiler 26, which protrudes with its free end in an outlet opening 42 of the housing. The outlet opening 42 is arranged in a bottom wall 44 of a first depression 46 formed in the housing 12 on its upper side 14. The bottom wall 44 of the first depression 46 is converted through a step 48 down into a bottom wall 50 of a second depression 52 adjacent to the first depression 46 away from the front side 18. The first depression 46 is also configured as the second depression 52 in the manner of a bucket or hopper and is accessible to the user on the side upper 14 of the housing 12.

The first depression 46 is, however, covered by a cover element in the form of a closing cover 54, which is mounted in the first depression 46 pivotally from one side to the other between its closing position represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and its release position shown in Figures 4 and 5. The closing cover 54 comprises a cover 56, which in the closing position of the closing cover 54 covers the first depression 46 and is integrated in the outer contour of the housing 12. For this, the cover 56 is aligned in the closed position of the closing cover 54 with a cover wall 58 of the housing 12. This is clarified in particular from Figures 2 and 3.

With the cover 56 of the closing cover 54, a rear wall 60 of the closing cover 54 is connected in one piece, which in the closed position of the closing cover 54 is directed towards the bottom wall 44 of the first depression 46. The rear wall 60 ends at a distance from the bottom wall 44, such that a steam outlet opening 62 extends in the closed position of the closing lid between the rear wall 60 and the bottom wall 44 54

In addition to the cover 56 and the rear wall 60, the closing cover 54 has a first side wall 66 and a second side wall 68. The two side walls 66 and 68 are connected in one piece with both the cover 56 and the wall rear 60 and form a pouring groove 70 in combination with the cover 56 and the rear wall 60. This is clarified in particular in Figure 5 and is explained in more detail below.

On the rear side 72 opposite the front side 18, the housing 12 has a cable passage 74 that is crossed by a network cable 76. The steam cleaning equipment 10 can be connected by means of the network cable with a voltage supply external.

For cleaning a surface, in particular for cleaning a floor surface, the liquid reservoir 24 can be filled with a cleaning liquid, for example, with water. The cleaning liquid can be pumped through the pump 30 if necessary to the steam boiler 26. The liquid can then evaporate inside the steam boiler, and the steam can be directed through the delivery tube of steam 22 towards the surface to be cleaned. If due to improper operation Inside the steam boiler 26 an inadmissibly high steam pressure is constituted, then the safety valve integrated in the maintenance closure 36 is opened. Through the safety valve 38, it is possible to escape the steam from the steam boiler 26. This is shown in Figure 3. Hot droplets of liquid are also carried with the outgoing steam. The outgoing steam enters along with the droplets of liquid entrained in a steam expansion chamber 78, which extends inside the first depression 46 between its wall bottom 44 and the closure cap 54, which during normal operation of the steam cleaning equipment 10 covers the safety valve 38 together with the maintenance closure 36. Inside the steam expansion chamber 78 a part of the outgoing steam condenses when it hits the wall of the first depression 46 or also when influencing the

cover 56 and the rear wall 60. A remaining part of the steam flows horizontally through the steam outlet opening 62 to the second depression 52. A large part of the droplets of liquid entrained has lost its kinetic energy due to the deflection experienced in the steam expansion chamber 78, so much that it falls inside the second depression 52 on the bottom wall 50. The steam that flows into the second depression 52 is partially condensed in the second depression 52. A remaining part of the steam escapes up out of second depression 52 after another detour. However, the steam that rises upwards from the second depression 52 has lost a large part of its energy due to the deviations experienced and due to contact with the wall of the second depression 52 and / or the wall of the first depression 46 and It has cooled considerably.

If distilled water is not used for the operation of steam cleaning equipment 10, during continuous operation of steam cleaning equipment 10, lime is increasingly deposited inside the steam boiler 26. The steam boiler 26 is You should descale for it on a regular basis. For this, the user must first separate the mains cable 76 from the external voltage supply and then let the steam cleaning equipment 10 cool down. Then, the closing cover 54 can be pivoted from its closed position shown in FIGS. 1 a 3 to the release position shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this case the closing cover 54 releases the first depression 46 and therefore also the maintenance closure 36. The user can then separate the maintenance closure 36 with the integrated safety valve 38 of the maintenance opening 34. The user can pour the liquid, which if possible is still placed in the steam boiler 26, through the maintenance opening 34. The pouring of the liquid is facilitated to the user since the closing cover 54 in its release position configures a pouring aid in the form of the pouring groove 70 projecting from the housing 12. As clarified in part In Figure 5, the pouring groove 70 is narrowed in the pouring direction opposite to the outlet opening 34. The user can therefore pour the liquid still located in the steam boiler 26 in a simple manner by means of the pouring groove 70. In this case, the second depression 52 practically does not reach liquid, since this in the closed position of the closing cover 54 is covered by said closing cover 54.

After emptying the steam boiler 26, the user can introduce a descaling solution through the maintenance opening 34 into the steam boiler 26. The descaling solution can then remain for some time in the steam boiler 26 in order to detach Lime deposited. After a certain exposure time, the descaling solution can then be poured out of the steam boiler 26 through the maintenance opening 34 and the pouring groove 70. The user can then close the maintenance opening 34 by means of the maintenance closure 36 to restart the steam cleaning equipment 10.

At times when the steam cleaning equipment 10 is not in operation, the second depression 52 serves as a storage compartment in which the user can place, for example, the network cable 76.

The steam cleaning equipment 10 is characterized by simple handling, in particular during the decalcification of the steam boiler 26. Furthermore, there is practically no danger that the user, in case of a breakdown, comes into contact with the steam protrusion through safety valve 38 or with liquid droplets carried by steam.

Claims (14)

1.-Steam cleaning equipment with a liquid tank (24) that is connected with an electrically heated steam boiler (26) for steam generation which can be applied on a surface to be cleaned, in the that the steam boiler (26) has a safety valve (38) that opens in case of inadmissibly high steam pressure in the steam boiler and is integrated in a maintenance closure (36) separable from the steam boiler ( 26), characterized in that the safety valve (38) can be covered by a cover element (54) that can be moved from one side to another between a closing position that covers the maintenance closure (36) and a release position which releases the maintenance closure (36). 2. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover element (54) is movably secured in the housing (12). 3. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover element (54) is integrated in a closed position in the outer contour of the housing (12). 4. Steam cleaning equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (12) has a first depression (46) in which the maintenance closure (36) is arranged and can be covered by the cover element (54). 5. Steam cleaning equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover element (54) in its closed position is distanced from the maintenance closure (36), a steam expansion chamber (78) extending between the cover element (54) and maintenance closure (36). 6. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover element (54) in its closed position releases a steam outlet opening (62) through which steam can escape in the horizontal direction of the steam expansion chamber (78) after the opening of the safety valve (38). 7. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the steam outlet opening (62) is at least as large as an opening cross-section of the safety valve (38). 8. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the steam cleaning equipment (10) has a receiving chamber (80) that is in flow connection with the steam expansion chamber (78) through the steam outlet opening (62). 9. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that the housing (12) has a second depression (52) adjacent to the first depression (46) that configures the reception chamber (80). 10. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that the first depression (46) becomes the second depression (52) through a descending step (48). 11.-Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the reception chamber (80) configures an open storage compartment on at least one side for the placement of a cable (76), of a tube and / or also of one or more accessories of the steam cleaning equipment (10) when the steam cleaning equipment (10) is not working. 12. Steam cleaning equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover element (54) in its release position configures a pouring aid for the pouring of a liquid from the steam boiler (26) after the opening of the maintenance closure (36). 13.-Steam cleaning equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover element (54) in its release position configures a groove (70) protruding from the housing (12). 14. Steam cleaning equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that the groove (70) narrows in the pouring direction.