KR20230025463A - Garment Care Apparatus with System for Managing Steam Leakage - Google Patents

Abstract

The garment care device includes a housing 30 and a steam generator 32 arranged within the housing for generating steam. The steam generator 32 has a steam chamber 45 and a first cover 40 for closing the steam chamber. Additionally, a second cover 90; 140 is arranged over the first cover 40 to create a sealed compartment 120 between the first cover and the second cover. Thus, any steam leakage is suppressed. In some examples, outlet vent 114 communicates with enclosed compartment 120 to allow any collected steam to vent to the outside.

Description

Garment Care Apparatus with System for Managing Steam Leakage

The present invention relates in particular to a garment care device for generating and delivering steam to garments.

Garment steaming systems are used to remove wrinkles from apparel and textiles, such as clothes and bedding. Typically, a garment steaming system includes a body or base unit having a water reservoir, a hand-held garment steamer, and a hose connecting the base unit to the hand-held garment steamer.

In one type of design, the base unit includes a steam generator, and steam is delivered to the hand-held clothes steamer using a steam hose for delivery to the fabric to be treated. In another type of design, water is supplied from a water reservoir in the base unit into the hand-held clothes steamer, where it is converted to steam.

In both cases, steam escapes onto the fabric in an attempt to obtain effective removal of the wrinkles.

If the steam generating chamber is in a hand-held clothes steamer, it should be smaller than the one located in the base unit. When tap water is hard, the working life of such a steam generating chamber is short because the steam generating chamber is contaminated with scale. As scale builds up, the internal pressure may rise.

Then, even before product failure, a problem may arise that steam may leak from the steam chamber. For example, leakage may occur through the sealing paste used to seal the gap between the cover of the steam chamber and the heater block forming the body of the steam chamber. These seals are not designed to withstand high pressures.

Leaked steam can reduce creepage. In particular, condensation of steam onto components carrying high voltages can cause breakdown or reduction of the dielectric isolation between the electrical supply terminals (live/neutral and ground). This can result in high voltage faults that allow grounded metal parts exposed to the user to carry high leakage currents. The user may then suffer an electric shock hazard when contacting exposed metal parts.

Steam leaks can also lead to corrosion of metal components. Components that require metal parts to move, such as bimetallic temperature sensors in thermostats, are at risk of permanent settling due to corrosion. This can lead to, for example, the failure of the thermostat to break the circuit when the temperature rises above its rated temperature, thus resulting in abnormal heating that can blow a fuse.

Condensation of steam on printed circuit boards can also lead to short circuits of certain components resulting in malfunctioning of the product.

Accordingly, there is a need to improve the safety of steam generating garment care products. Such products include steam irons as well as garment steamers as discussed above.

US 5 121 464 discloses a steamer in which the vaporization chamber is covered with a cover and also a heat proof shield to protect the outer casing from heating.

The invention is defined by the claims.

According to an example according to one aspect of the present invention, a clothes management device is provided, the clothes management device comprising:

housing; and

A steam generator arranged in a housing for generating steam, the housing surrounding the steam generator, the steam generator comprising:

steam chamber;

a first cover for closing the steam chamber; and

and a second cover arranged over the first cover, the second cover being sealed over the first cover to provide an enclosed compartment (120) for receiving steam leaking from the steam chamber over the first cover to the first cover. and the second cover.

This garment management device has a first cover to close the steam chamber and a second cover to create an enclosed compartment where any steam leakage from the steam chamber is collected. This allows leakage from the steam chamber to be contained, so that it cannot flow into areas where it could present an accident.

The device may further include an outlet vent arranged within the housing, in communication with the enclosed compartment. By directing any steam leaks to a dedicated outlet vent, the existence of a steam leak can be made more apparent to the user, so he can take remedies before the leak becomes a dangerous accident.

A sealing paste is placed where, for example, the first cover closes the steam chamber. The sealing paste may leak over time, especially if increased pressure is present in the stream chamber, caused for example by partial blockage of the fluid passage over time.

The steam chamber may include an outer wall, and the second cover is fluid sealed on the outer wall. The second cover is eg sealed over the same surface as the first cover, but it extends beyond the first cover such that the first cover seal, eg sealing paste, is within the outer periphery of the second cover. This provides a compact arrangement.

A sealing gasket is arranged between the outer wall and the second cover, for example. A sealing gasket closes the sealed compartment. The sealing gasket may be axially compressed or radially compressed to create a seal. The sealing gasket may be an integral part of the second cover, for example the second cover may be formed of a rubber material. Alternatively, the sealing gasket may be a separate component.

The first cover can be mounted over the outer wall, and then the sealing gasket is extended around the outer periphery of the first cover.

A water inlet nozzle may be provided for delivering water to the steam generator, where the water inlet passes through the second cover. Thus, the second cover is fitted over and around the water inlet nozzle.

For example, a sealing gasket extends around the water inlet and the first cover (combination thereof). The water inlet nozzle passes through the first cover such that the first cover surrounds the water inlet nozzle. A second seal extends around the water inlet nozzle and through the first cover (thereby sealing the steam chamber around the water inlet nozzle), the second cover including an opening for fitting over the water inlet nozzle. Thus, the use of the second cover eliminates the need to relocate the water inlet nozzle; It can enter the steam generating chamber from above through the second cover.

The device may further include a tube for fluidly connecting the inside of the enclosed compartment to the outlet vent. Thus, the outlet vent can be positioned at any desired location and facing any desired direction by using a suitable tube.

The second cover includes, for example, a release opening, where a tube is connected between the release opening and the outlet vent. Thus, no breakage is required in the gasket to enable release of steam to the outlet vent. The discharge opening can be designed as part of the second cover.

The first cover and the second cover are arranged facing, for example, on the cover part of the housing, and the outlet vent is arranged facing the base part of the housing.

In one example, the second cover is made of a (rigid) heat-resistant plastic material. Then, the gasket is fitted between the second cover and the body of the steam generator.

In another example, the second cover is made of a heat-resistant silicone rubber material. In this case, the material of the cover itself can function as a sealing gasket.

For example, the enclosed compartment has a volume in the range of 30 to 200 cm 3 , for example in the range of 40 to 100 cm ³ . The second cover is spaced apart from the first cover by a distance in the range of, for example, 1 to 10 mm, for example, in the range of 2 to 5 mm.

The apparatus may further include a water reservoir and a pump for pumping water to the steam generator, wherein the water reservoir and pump are within the housing. Thus, the device can be fully integrated into a hand-held unit.

The present invention also provides a garment steaming system, the garment steaming system comprising:

a base comprising a water reservoir, a water outlet, and a pump for pumping water from the water outlet;

a steamer head having a water inlet, the steamer head comprising a garment care device as defined above; and

Includes a tube connecting the water outlet of the base to the water inlet of the steamer head.

In this case, the present invention is used within the steamer head of a stand-up steaming system.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from, and will be explained with reference to, the embodiment(s) described below.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to more clearly show how the present invention may be practiced, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only:
1 shows a known garment steaming system.
Figure 2 shows a known hand-held clothes steamer.
3 shows an enlarged view of the steam generator of the hand-held clothes steamer.
FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along AA of FIG. 3 ;
FIG. 5 shows possible steam escape passages in the cross-section of FIG. 3 .
Figure 6 shows that steam escape passages can condense on any surface.
Figure 7 shows that an electrical failure can occur if condensate forms on the electrical supply pins.
8 shows a modification to the design of FIGS. 2-7 according to one example of the present invention, with the second cover removed.
9 shows the design of FIG. 8 with the second cover in place.
Figure 10 shows the device of Figure 9 from another angle.
Figure 11 shows the lower area of the outer housing to show the outlet vent.
12 shows a cross section of the fully assembled design.
13 shows a cross section of an alternative design when fully assembled.
14 shows a cross section for a further alternative design.
FIG. 15 shows an exterior view from above of the design of FIG. 14 .
FIG. 16 shows an exterior view from below of the design of FIG. 14 .

The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while representing exemplary embodiments of devices, systems and methods, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the apparatus, system and method of the present invention will be better understood from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic only and not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to indicate the same or like parts.

The present invention provides a garment care device comprising a housing and a steam generator arranged within the housing to generate steam. The steam generator has a steam chamber and a first cover for closing the steam chamber. Additionally, there is a second cover arranged over the first cover to create an enclosed compartment between the first cover and the second cover. Thus, any steam leakage is suppressed. In some instances, the outlet vent communicates with the enclosed compartment, allowing any collected steam to escape to the outside.

In one set of examples, the garment care device includes a hand-held garment steamer, which may be a self-contained unit or otherwise it may form part of a stand-alone garment steaming system. The present invention will be described with reference to a clothes steamer and purely by way of example with reference to a stand-up type clothes steamer.

1 shows a known stand-alone garment steaming system 10 comprising a base unit 14 and a garment care device in the form of a hand-held garment steamer 12 . The base unit 14 has a reservoir 16 for storing water and supplying the water to the hand-held clothes steamer 12 for conversion to steam. The base unit 14 is connected to the hand-held clothes steamer 1 by means of a hose 18. The hose 18 is flexible and encloses a tube for supplying at least water from the reservoir 16 to the water inlet 13 of the hand-held clothes steamer 12 . Hose 18 may also carry a power cable (not shown) to provide electricity to the heater of the hand-held clothes steamer.

The garment steaming system 10 further includes a stand 20 for hanging the garment to be steamed. A stand 20 extends vertically from the base unit 14 . The stand 20 comprises a hanging element 22 , for example a hook.

The present invention relates in particular to the design of a hand-held clothes steamer (12). An example of a known design is shown in FIG. 2 with the cover in the removed position.

The clothes steamer 12 includes a housing 30 and a steam generator arranged within the housing to generate steam. The steam generator is shown generally at 32 . A housing 30 surrounds the steam generator 32 and in this example it has a base portion 30a, a cover portion 30b and a front portion 30c which is the steam transmission face of the housing. The housings 30a and 30b are typically plastic, which provides thermal insulation so that the outer surface of the housing is not hot. The front portion 30c, which is also a soleplate, may be plastic or metal, for example aluminum.

3 shows an enlarged view of the steam generator 32 . It includes a steam chamber covered by a first cover 40 . The first cover is a stamped part. The steam chamber has a water inlet nozzle 42 for providing water to the steam generator, where the water inlet protrudes from the outer wall of the steam generator. Water is supplied to the heater of the steam generator and the steam produced is discharged from the steam delivery surface of the hand-held clothes steamer.

The first cover 40 is fixed to the body underneath the steam generator. A sealing paste is typically used to seal the interface between the body of the steam generator, typically an aluminum heater block, and the first cover. The sealing paste is applied after a fastening process (rivets or screws) for assembling the first cover onto the heater block.

The sealing paste 44 forms a closed shape across the interface between the first cover 40 and the heater block.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along A-A of FIG. 3 in area 46 .

The heater is shown as a heating element 50 embedded within an aluminum heater block 52 . A steam chamber 45 is defined above the heater and below the first cover. The first cover 40 is seated on the lip at the top of the heater block 52 and screwed or riveted down. A sealing paste 44 is applied over the join.

When the generated steam is sufficiently heated, the introduced water is converted to steam. As steam is created inside the steam generator, some scale will also be created. Some scale particles will be carried away from the steam generator as the steam is released through the steam vent, but some will remain inside. The accumulation of scale particles inside the steam generator will eventually form a layer of scale that causes narrowing of the steam passage inside the steam generator. This will result in internal pressure buildup inside the steam generator, which in turn can lead to steam leakage through the sealing paste 44 when the sealing paste fails to contain the steam due to the increasing pressure.

When steam starts leaking from the sealing paste, it will cause water condensation everywhere inside the steamer housing. When electrical components become wet with condensation from steam, creepage distances will be greatly reduced, which can potentially cause high voltage faults, which in turn put users at risk of electrical accidents. Some electrical components can also short out due to the presence of water, thus causing the device to malfunction.

The present invention provides a solution to contain any leaking steam and direct it to a designated vent.

FIG. 5 shows, in cross-section of FIG. 3, a steam escape passage 60 that may occur when the above-described pressure build-up occurs.

Figure 6 shows the steam generator and the front part 30c of the housing. This shows that the steam escape passages 60 can condense on any surface. As noted above, this can result in reduced creepage distance which can result in a significant reduction or breakdown of the dielectric isolation between the live neutral electrical supply terminals and ground, for example. Corrosion can result, and then components requiring movement of metal parts can fail. For example, a thermostat failure will result in abnormal heating that can blow a fuse.

6 shows an electrical terminal arrangement 70 that includes a live pin and a neutral pin.

Figure 7 shows that if condensate 72 forms on the live fins, for example, the conductive layer may cause a breakdown between the live fins and the neutral pin or between the live fins and ground (body of the steam generator). show

The user is likely not aware of the steam leakage problem at all, since the steam generator is completely enclosed by the outer housing. Condensed water may leak from the drain hole in the housing, but it may not be obvious enough for the user to know that steam has leaked from the steam generator. Thus, the user can continue to use the product as long as the product is still generating steam from the exit steam vent. Continuous use of the product may present a high voltage hazard to the user.

8 shows a modification to the above design in accordance with one example of the present invention.

A gasket 80 is formed around the sealing paste 44 . The gasket forms a closed annular portion extending around the outside of the ring of sealing paste 44 . Thus, any leakage from the steam generator at the interface with the first cover enters the area sealed by the gasket.

The gasket is covered by a second cover (shown and described below) arranged over the first cover and sealed over the gasket 80 . By this, it is sealed over the first cover. Thereby, the second cover creates a sealed partition between the first cover and the second cover. However, the first and second covers remain sealed by the housing. The sealed compartment contains no electrical components so that there is no risk of an electrical accident caused by steam leaking past the first cover. Enclosed compartments are used to define in a known manner where such steam leakage is to be collected and also where it is to be dissipated. The second cover is fixed over the first cover, with a small gap therebetween. Therefore, the enclosed partition has a substantially constant height and has a shape conforming to the shape of the first cover. The outer periphery of the sealed compartment is sealed around the seal of the first cover.

An additional gasket 82 is provided around the water inlet nozzle 42 . The same gasket may seal the steam chamber around the water inlet nozzle and seal the second cover around the water inlet nozzle.

In some instances, the compartment is vented to the outside by an outlet vent, discussed further below.

Thus, the garment management device has a first cover to close the steam chamber, and a second cover to create an enclosed compartment where any steam leakage from the steam chamber is collected. Thus, steam leakage is suppressed.

In examples, by directing any such steam leak to a dedicated outlet vent, the existence of the steam leak may be more apparent to the user, so that he can take remedies before the leak becomes dangerous.

A gasket 80 is provided over the upper outer wall 84 of the steam chamber so that the compartment is sealed between the second cover and the upper outer wall 84 . The first cover is also mounted on the same upper outer wall, and the gasket 80 extends around the outer periphery of the first cover. Thus, the first cover seal, or sealing paste, is within the outer periphery of the gasket and thus within the outer periphery of the second cover.

The first cover can be secured in place in front of the second cover and using different fasteners. However, the first and second covers may instead be secured to the underlying heating block by the same fixture.

8 shows a set of six fasteners 86 (screws or rivets) that mount the first cover 40 to the heating block of the steam generator. In this example, this fixture 86 is in place before gasket 80 and a second cover is applied.

The gasket may be axially compressed or radially compressed to create a seal.

9 shows the design of FIG. 8 with the second cover 90 in place. The second cover 90 is a separate set of five screw fasteners 92 that couple the second cover to the heater block. is fixed by This provides uniform all round fastening to uniformly compress the gasket.

In the illustrated example, the second cover applies axial compression to the gasket, thus sealing the entire upper space between the first cover and the gasket from the periphery. This completely sealed enclosed compartment is used to contain steam if it leaks through the first cover, ie through the sealing paste.

The formed compartment has, for example, a height in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm and a volume in the range of 30 cm 3 to 200 cm ³ .

The second cover is made of, for example, a heat-resistant plastic material. Alternatively, the second cover may be made of a heat-resistant silicone rubber material.

The second cover 90 has an opening 94 for sliding over the water inlet nozzle 42, and a seal is formed by the second gasket 82.

In some examples, the second cover 90 also has a release opening coupled to the steam escape nozzle 96 . There may be more than one discharge aperture.

This arrangement means that steam leaking from the steam generator past the first cover will be contained within the sealed enclosed compartment, thus preventing the steam from condensing anywhere inside the housing of the appliance. When a discharge opening is used, it can be connected to an outlet tube, for example, so that leaked steam is directed to the outlet vent. The outlet vent can then be designed and positioned so that the steam flow is easily perceived by the user (and distinguished from functional steam output). Thus, there is a clear indication of steam leakage to the user.

Figure 10 shows the device of Figure 9 from another angle. The top image shows the tube coupling 100 leading to the outlet vent. The bottom image shows the tube 102 extending between the steam escape nozzle 96 (at the discharge opening of the top cover) and the tube coupling 100 to fluidly connect the inside of the enclosed compartment to the outlet vent. do.

In one example, the exit vent is opposite to the first and second covers. Thus, the first and second covers are arranged in the upper region of the outer housing, and the outlet vent is arranged in the lower region of the outer housing.

11 shows the lower region of the outer housing. 11 also shows the steam outlet face 110 . The exit vent is in area 112 shown enlarged in the right image. The exit vent 114 faces downward. It is set back from the steam outlet face and directed in a different direction, eg downward, so that it is clear to the user that the steam is not normal output steam. The outlet vent may be provided in a safe location away from the user's hands to prevent scolding and in a location where the steam is directed away from the user but clearly visible. Any suitable location may be selected.

12 shows a cross-section of the fully assembled design. Enclosed compartments are shown at 120 . Axial compression is represented by arrow 122 . The gasket 80 is seated on the upper outer surface 124 of the heater block, and the first cover 40 is seated in a recess in the same upper outer surface, with the sealing paste applied to the outer rim of the first cover 40. is on the top of

The water inlet nozzle 42 extends down to the steam chamber. A second seal 82 provides a seal around the water inlet nozzle 42 and thus around the opening of the first cover 40 . It also serves to hold the water inlet nozzle 42 in place.

On the upper surface of the second seal, it seals against the lower surface of the second cover 90 to prevent leakage from the sealed compartment through the opening of the second cover 90 provided for the water inlet nozzle 42. There is a circular lip that does. Thus, the second seal seals radially around the outside of the water inlet nozzle and radially around the inside of the opening in the first cover. It also provides a vertical seal to the underside of the second cover.

13 shows a cross section of an alternative design when fully assembled. This design implements radial compression of gasket 80 as represented by arrow 130 . Gasket 80 is seated back on the top outer surface of the heater block. When the second cover is screwed down, the gasket is forced into the contracted lateral space to provide lateral compression of the gasket.

The above examples are based on a rigid second cover, for example, which is largely flat (unlike that on the rim where it connects to the steam generator). The above examples also use a gasket formed as a separate independent component.

An alternative design provides for a second cover and gasket combined into a single cover part, formed of rubber, such as silicone, for example. Such a cover can then be tightly wrapped around the steam generator to form a completely sealed enclosed compartment.

14 shows a cross section for this alternative design. A second cover 140 extends over the first cover 40 and around the side of the steam generator by means of side straps 142 .

FIG. 15 shows an exterior view from above of the design of FIG. 14 , and FIG. 16 shows an exterior view from below of the design of FIG. 14 .

The present invention has been described with reference to a hand-held clothes steamer. However, it can be applied to other types of clothes care devices such as steam irons. The steam iron has a cover (first cover) to define a chamber for generating steam and has a bottom plate that performs the same function as the heater block described above. The iron may also use a sealing paste to seal the chamber. Then, for the same purpose as described above, a second cover may be provided in the manner described above to control the delivery of leaked steam to the outlet vent.

The present invention can also be applied to a clothes steamer in which the steam generator is within the base unit. The outlet vent then provides steam flow indicating steam leaks in the base unit. Also, the present invention can be applied to a clothes steamer in which all parts (reservoir, pump, steam generator) are in a hand-held housing.

Variations to the disclosed embodiments may be understood and attained by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention from a study of the drawings, disclosure and appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the singular form (the indefinite article “a” or “an”) does not exclude the plural.

The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Note that where the term “adapted to” is used in the claims or description, the term “adapted to” is intended to be equivalent to the term “configured to”.

Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims (15)

As a clothing management device,
housing 30; and
a steam generator (32) arranged within the housing for generating steam, the housing surrounding the steam generator, the steam generator comprising:
steam chamber 45;
a first cover 40 for closing the steam chamber 45; and
and a second cover (90; 140) arranged over the first cover, the second cover being sealed over the first cover to contain steam leaking from the steam chamber beyond the first cover. To create a partition 120 between the first cover and the second cover, the device. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outlet vent (114) arranged within the housing, in communication with the enclosed compartment. 3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a tube (102) for fluidly connecting the inside of the enclosed compartment to the outlet vent. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the second cover comprises a release opening and the tube (102) is connected between the release opening and the outlet vent (114). 5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first and second covers are arranged face to face on a cover portion of the housing and the outlet vent (114) is arranged facing a base portion of the housing. Becoming device. 6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first cover comprises a sealing paste (44) located where it closes the steam chamber. 7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the steam chamber comprises an outer wall (124) and the second cover (90; 140) is fluid sealed on the outer wall. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a sealing gasket (80) arranged between the outer wall and the second cover. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first cover is mounted on the outer wall, and the sealing gasket (80) extends around an outer periphery of the first cover (40). 10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a water inlet nozzle (42) for providing water to the steam generator, the water inlet passing through the second cover. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the water inlet nozzle passes through the first cover, the sealing gasket (80) extends around the first cover (40), and the second seal (82) is around the water inlet nozzle. and extending through the first cover, the second cover including an opening (94) for fitting over the water inlet nozzle. 12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the second cover (140) is made of a heat-resistant silicone rubber material. According to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The enclosed compartment 120 has a volume ranging from 30 to 200 cm 3 ; and/or
wherein the second cover is spaced from the first cover by a distance ranging from 1 to 10 mm. 14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a water reservoir and a pump for pumping water to the steam generator, wherein the water reservoir and the pump are within the housing. Device. As a garment steaming system,
a base (14) comprising a water reservoir, a water outlet, and a pump for pumping water from the water outlet;
a steamer head (12) having a water inlet, wherein the steamer head includes the clothes management device according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and
and a tube (18) connecting the water outlet of the base to the water inlet of the steamer head.

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