Steaming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765475-B2
Application number	US-201414898499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A steaming device ( 1 ) is operable in a cordless mode and has a steaming body ( 2 ) having a first water chamber ( 6 ), a second water chamber ( 7 ), a steam generator ( 8 ), a first fluid path ( 20 ) between the first water chamber ( 6 ) and the second water chamber ( 7 ), and a second fluid path ( 26 ) between the second water chamber ( 7 ) and the steam generator ( 8 ). The first fluid path ( 20 ) is configured to prevent water flow from the first water chamber ( 6 ) to the second water chamber ( 7 ) when the steaming body ( 2 ) is orientated in a normal operating position. The first fluid path ( 20 ) is also configured to allow water flow from the first water chamber ( 6 ) to the second water chamber ( 7 ) when the steaming body is orientated in a rest position in which the steaming body is inclined at an angle to the normal operating position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steaming device operable in a cordless mode comprising:
a steaming body having
a first water chamber having a principal dimension in a horizontal direction between a front face and a rear face of the first water chamber when the steaming body is oriented in an operational position,
a second water chamber having a principal dimension in a vertical direction when the steaming body is oriented in the operational position, the second water chamber being separated from the first water chamber via a vertical wall at the rear face of the first water chamber that extends along the principal dimension of the second water chamber,
a steam generator,
a first fluid path between the first water chamber and the second water chamber, the first fluid path including a tubular fluid passage extending through the vertical wall proximate an upper end of the rear face of the first water chamber and having an inlet and an outlet, wherein (i) the fluid passage inlet is disposed at a first end of the tubular fluid passage extending in a downward direction along the vertical wall, and (ii) the fluid passage outlet is disposed horizontally at a second end of the tubular fluid passage in the second water chamber above a maximum water level in the first water chamber, when the steaming body is oriented in the operational position, and
a second fluid path between the second water chamber and the steam generator,
wherein the first fluid path prevents water flow from the first water chamber to the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in the operational position and allows water flow from the first water chamber to the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in a non-operational position in which the steaming body is inclined at an angle to the operational position.

2. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid path prevents water flow to the steam generator when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position.

3. The steaming device according to claim 2 , wherein the second fluid path has a second fluid path outlet to the steam generator which is disposed above a maximum water level in the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position.

4. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid path allows water flow to the steam generator when the steaming body is orientated in the operational position.

5. The steaming device according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply, wherein the flow rate of water through the first fluid path is a function of the rate of energy transfer from the power supply to the steam generator so that the stored energy capacity of the steam generator is sufficient to evaporate the volume of water in the second water chamber.

6. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the second water chamber is configured to hold a maximum volume of water, the volume of water being a function of the maximum stored energy capacity of the steam generator which is capable of evaporating the volume of water.

7. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluid path defines a non-linear path between the first fluid path inlet and the first fluid path outlet.

8. The steaming device according to claim 1 , further comprising a water reservoir, the first water chamber and second water chamber being defined in the water reservoir by a divider with the first fluid path outlet at an upper end of the divider.

9. A steaming device operable in a cordless mode comprising:
a steaming body having
a first water chamber,
a second water chamber,
a steam generator,
a first fluid path between the first water chamber and the second water chamber,
a second fluid path between the second water chamber and the steam generator, and

a water reservoir,
wherein the first fluid path prevents water flow from the first water chamber to the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in an operational position and allows water flow from the first water chamber to the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in a non-operational position in which the steaming body is inclined at an angle to the operational position,
wherein the first fluid path has a first fluid path outlet to the second water chamber which is above a maximum water level in the first water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in the operational position,
the first water chamber and second water chamber being defined in the water reservoir by a divider with the first fluid path outlet at an upper end of the divider, and
wherein the divider comprises a first wall and a second wall, the first fluid path being defined between the first wall and the second wall.

10. The steaming device according to claim 9 , wherein the first fluid path inlet is formed at a lower end of the first wall, and the first fluid path outlet is formed at an upper end of the second wall.

11. The steaming device according to claim 1 , further comprising a stand configured to removably support the steaming body in a non-operational position in which the steaming body is inclined at an angle to the operational position.

12. The steaming device according to claim 11 , wherein the stand is configured to provide a supply of energy to the steaming body when the steaming body is received on the stand.

13. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the steaming body is inclined at an angle of at least 30 degrees to an operational position when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position.

14. The steaming device according to claim 1 , wherein the steaming device operable in a cordless mode is a cordless steam iron or a cordless garment steamer for steaming garments.

15. The steaming device according to claim 9 , wherein the second fluid path prevents water flow to the steam generator when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position.

16. The steaming device according to claim 9 , wherein the second fluid path has a second fluid path outlet to the steam generator which is disposed above a maximum water level in the second water chamber when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position, and wherein the second fluid path allows water flow to the steam generator when the steaming body is orientated in the operational position.

17. The steaming device according to claim 9 , further comprising a power supply, wherein the second water chamber is configured to hold a maximum volume of water, wherein a flow rate of water through the first fluid path is a function of the rate of energy transfer from the power supply to the steam generator so that a stored energy capacity of the steam generator is sufficient to evaporate the maximum volume of water in the second water chamber.

18. The steaming device according to claim 9 , further comprising a stand configured to removably support the steaming body in a non-operational position in which the steaming body is inclined at an angle to the operational position.

19. The steaming device according to claim 18 , wherein the stand is configured to provide a supply of energy to the steaming body when the steaming body is received on the stand.

20. The steaming device according to claim 9 , wherein the steaming body is inclined at an angle of at least 30 degrees to an operational position when the steaming body is orientated in the non-operational position.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Lee Kean Hao Raymond
• Ching Boon Khian
• Chua Hee Keng
• Jiang Yong

Classifications

• D06F75/40

  Stands or supports attached to the iron · CPC title

• D06F75/18

  the water being fed slowly, e.g. drop by drop, from the reservoir to a steam generator · CPC title

• D06F79/02

  Stands or supports neither attached to, nor forming part of, the iron or ironing board · CPC title

• D06F79/023

  with means for supplying current to the iron · CPC title

• D06F87/00

  Apparatus for moistening or otherwise conditioning the article to be ironed or pressed (apparatus for smoothing or removing creases from garments or other textile articles by formers, cores, stretchers or internal frames, with the application of heat or steam D06F73/00 {; devices used in combination with a laundry dryer D06F58/203}) · CPC title