Steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus

• US 20030106180A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samson Tsen
• Original Assignee: Samson Tsen
• Inventors: Tsen, Samson
• Granted Patent: US 6,640,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/321
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4086 Arrangements for steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2230/01 Cleaning with steam
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam B08B9/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays

Abstract

This invention relates to a steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus comprised of a head case assembly, an air/water separating device and at least one external connecting member; wherein the head case assembly includes a housing, an electrical steam generator and an electrical drafting fan assembly both contained in the housing. The fan assembly has a suction section and a discharge section. The air/water separating device is arranged upstream of the suction section of the fan assembly for inducing air flow and collecting condensed water. The external connecting member includes a male connector having a steam intake port and an air suction port respectively in fluid communication with the steam generator and the suction section of the air/water separating device; whereby high-pressure steam can be applied to directly blast onto the surface to be cleaned, or the steam can be applied to heat the surface to associate with the suction section of the fan assembly for removing sticky smear and dirt, so as to improve the cleaning effectiveness and the ease maneuverability.

Claims

1. A steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus, comprising

a head case assembly, including:

a head case housing formed therein with a hollow space;

an electrical steam generator disposed within the hollow space of the head case housing, comprising a boiler and an electrical heater, in which the boiler is provided for containing water, and the electrical heater being disposed at the bottom of the boiler for heating water contained within the boiler and generating steam, the steam being directing to a steam outlet seal sleeve projecting out of the head case housing through a steam tube; and

an electrical drafting fan assembly disposed within the hollow space of the head case housing for creating a negative pressure to suck air, comprising a drafting fan and an electrical motor for driving the drafting fan, the drafting fan including an air intake port and air exhaust port and creating an air flow path in which the one located upstream of the drafting fan is defined as a suction section, and the one located downstream of the air exhaust port being defined as a discharge section;

an air/water separating device disposed upstream of the suction section of the electrical drafting fan assembly for separating and collecting water condensed from the sucked air; and

an external connecting member comprising a male connector having a steam connector and a suction hole respectively for connecting to steam outlet seal sleeve of the electrical steam generator and the suction section of the air/water separating device.

2. The steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air/water separating device comprises a U-channel connector, a first cyclone chamber, a second cyclone chamber and a receiving chamber;

in which the U-channel connector includes a U-channel connector body, a steam nozzle insert detachably engaging the steam outlet seal sleeve of the head case assembly, and an air intake duct;

the air intake duct extending from the U-channel connector body into the first cyclone chamber and in fluid communication therewith for creating a swirl to the air induced into the first cyclone chamber and separating condensed water suspending in the induced air by centrifugal effect;

the U-channel connector adapted to connect the external connecting member to allow the steam nozzle insert and the air intake duct thereof to engage the steam connector and the suction hole of the external connecting member;

the second cyclone chamber located in the suction section downstream of the first cyclone chamber and in fluid communication with the first cyclone chamber, for changing the flowing direction of the air induced therein;

the receiving chamber is provided in the suction section downstream of the second cyclone chamber and in fluid communication with the second cyclone chamber, for sealingly connecting to the air intake port of the electrical drafting fan assembly.

3. The steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first and a second power switches for respectively controlling the power of the electrical steam generator and the electrical drafting fan assembly.

4. The steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein electrical steam generator further comprises a steam control valve disposed between the boiler and the steam tube, for controlling the steam flowing from the boiler to the steam tube, the steam control valve being operated by a steam injection push button pivotally disposed on the head case housing.

5. A steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the external connecting member is a steam-air hose set assembly comprising an outer duct, an inner duct, a male connector and a female connector;

wherein the inner and outer ducts are flexible and co-axially arranged;

the male connector being provided at one end of the inner and outer ducts to be received within the U-channel connector of the air/water separating device;

the male connector provided with a suction hole and a steam connector respectively in fluid communication with the air intake duct and the steam nozzle insert of the air/water separating device;

the female connector being provided at the other end of the inner and outer hoses and formed with an open connecting head for receiving the male connector and in fluid communication with the outer duct;

a tapered steam connecting head being provided within the female connector for connecting to the steam connector of the male connector.

6. The steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the external connecting member is a steam-air window cleaner assembly comprising a hollow cleaner body, and an inner steam duct, in which the hollow cleaner body includes a big end and a small end and formed therein with a hollow space to serve as an outer duct for directing air to pass therethrough;

the small end formed as a U-channel male connector to be slightly tightly received within the U-channel connector of the air/water separating device;

the male connector further provided with a suction opening and a steam connector for respectively engaging and in fluid communication with the air intake duct and the steam nozzle insert of the air/water separating device;

the big end of the cleaner body formed with an elongate slit in fluid communication with the interior of the hollow cleaner body;

the elongate slit provided at its one elongate edge a rubber scraper blade for wiping and scrapping a flat and smooth surface to be cleaned;

the inner steam duct disposed within the hollow cleaner body and having a steam inlet and a plurality of steam outlets, in which the inlet is adapted to engage the steam connector of the male connector, and the outlets being arranged along the elongate slit for uniformly distributing and directing steam along the elongate slit.

7. The steam/vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the external connecting member is a steam injecting element having two ends, in which one is formed as a nozzle, and the other formed as a male connector to be slightly tightly received within the U-channel connector of the air/water separating device;

the male connector provided with a steam connector in fluid communication with an inner steam duct disposed within the steam injecting element for directing steam from the boiler to the nozzle.