Garment steamer

• US 10,287,726 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2012
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Chua, Hee Keng
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Spencer E
• Application Number:
  US14/366,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140345334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,334 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 73/00 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 combined with external pressure means D06F71/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/00 Hand irons
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 87/00 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 Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated

Abstract

A steam head for a garment steamer includes a handle, and a steam duct having an upstream end connectable to a steam hose and a downstream end that defines a steam ejection opening with a circumferential edge that forms a frontal contact surface. A surface area of the frontal contact surface is smaller than an area of the steam ejection opening. The steam head further includes a drainage tube extending between condensate inlet and outlet ends, where the condensate inlet end is disposed within a downstream portion of the steam duct while the condensate outlet end is disposed elsewhere, such as connected to a water reservoir or a boiler of the garment steamer, or to a dedicated condensate collector.

Claims

1. A steam head for a garment steamer, comprising:

a handle;

a steam duct, extending through or otherwise connected to the handle, having an upstream portion with an upstream end that is configured to be connected to a steam hose, and a downstream portion with a downstream end that defines a steam ejection opening for output of steam passing through a partition having at least one steam passage; and

a frontal contact surface that is at least partially provided for by a circumferential edge of the steam ejection opening, and that is configured to be in grazing contact with a garment when, during use, steam is released from the steam ejection opening onto the garment,

wherein a circumference of the circumferential edge is smaller than a circumference of the partition which is further away from the garment than the circumferential edge of the frontal contact surface,

wherein the steam head further comprises a drainage tube extending apart from the steam duct between a condensate inlet end and a condensate outlet end, and

wherein the condensate inlet end is disposed within the downstream portion of the steam duct.

2. The steam head according to claim 1, wherein the surface area of the frontal contact surface is less than 10% of the area of the steam ejection opening.

3. The steam head according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the downstream portion of the steam duct has an inner cross-sectional area that decreases in a downstream direction, towards the steam ejection opening.

4. The steam head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one steam passage is disposed at least 2 cm upstream of the steam ejection opening at the downstream end of the steam duct.

5. The steam head according to claim 1, wherein the partition is made of a porous material defining a plurality of microscopic steam passages.

6. The steam head according to claim 1, wherein the condensate outlet end of the drainage tube is fluidly connectable to at least one of a water reservoir, a boiler and a dedicated condensate collector, such that any condensate in the downstream portion of the steam duct may drain back therein.

7. A garment steamer, comprising:

a steam head including;

a handle;

a steam duct, extending through or otherwise connected to the handle, having an upstream portion with an upstream end that is configured to be connected to a steam hose, and a downstream portion with a downstream end that defines a steam ejection opening for output of steam passing through a partition having at least one steam passage; and

a frontal contact surface that is at least partially provided for by a circumferential edge of the steam ejection opening, and that is configured to be in grazing contact with a garment when, during use, steam is released from the steam ejection opening onto the garment,

wherein a circumference of the circumferential edge is smaller than a circumference of the partition which is further away from the garment than the circumferential edge of the frontal contact surface,

wherein the steam head further comprises a drainage tube extending apart from the steam duct between a condensate inlet end and a condensate outlet end, and

wherein the condensate inlet end is disposed within the downstream portion of the steam duct;

a base, accommodating a water reservoir having a water supply opening and a water discharge opening;

a boiler having a water supply opening and a steam discharge opening, wherein the water supply opening of the boiler is connected to the water discharge opening of the water reservoir; and

a steam hose, having a first end connected to the steam discharge opening of the boiler and a second end connected to the steam head,

wherein the condensate outlet end of the drainage tube is fluidly connected to at least one of the water reservoir and the boiler, such that condensate in the downstream portion of the steam duct may drain back therein.

8. The garment steamer according to claim 7, wherein the steam hose and the drainage tube run in parallel within a uni-strand cord that extends between the steam head and the base.