STEAMING AND SANITIZING ACCESSORY

• US 20110236275A1
• Filed: 03/26/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrea Milanese, Pierantonio Milanese, Terry Robertson
• Original Assignee: Andrea Milanese, Pierantonio Milanese, Terry Robertson
• Inventors: Milanese, Andrea, ROBERTSON, Terry, Milanese, Pierantonio
• Application Number:
  US13/072,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20110236275A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/291
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/213 Use of electrochemically treated water, e.g. electrolysed water or water treated by electrical discharge

Abstract

An accessory for a steam generating appliance includes a valve having one or more inlets for receiving one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent from the steam generating appliance. One or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports are included. A first conduit provides fluid communication between the valve and the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports. A second conduit provides fluid communication between the valve and the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports. A valve controller selectively allows or denies the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow through the valve and conduits to the outlet ports in at least several modes.

Claims

1. An accessory for a steam generating appliance comprising:

a valve having one or more inlets for receiving one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent from the steam generating appliance;

one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a first conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports;

a second conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a valve controller for selectively allowing or denying the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow through the valve and conduits to the outlet ports in at least the following modes;

denying the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow to and from either of the forwardly-directed or the downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow to and from both of the forwardly-directed and the downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow to and from only the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports; and

allowing the one or both of steam and a sanitizing agent to flow to and from only the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports.

2. The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a handle, a rigid tubular wand, and a dispensing head, wherein;

the valve is disposed in the handle;

the first and second conduits are disposed in the wand;

and the outlet ports are disposed in the dispensing head.

3. The accessory of claim 2 wherein the one or more downwardly-directed ports are disposed in a bottom surface of the dispensing head;

and the bottom surface comprises means for removably receiving an absorbent pad.

4. The accessory of claim 3 wherein the means for removably receiving the absorbent pad comprises “

hook and loop”

hooks.

5. The accessory of claim 4 wherein the dispensing head comprises the received absorbent pad, and the pad comprises a super-absorbent material.

6. The accessory of claim 5 wherein the super-absorbent material comprises hydrophilic fibers and hydrogel-forming particles.

7. The accessory of claim 5 wherein the super-absorbent material comprises cotton and sodium polyacrylate.

9. An accessory for a steam generating appliance comprising:

a valve having an inlet for receiving steam from the steam generating appliance;

one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a first conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports;

a second conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a valve controller for selectively allowing or denying the steam to flow through the valve and conduits to the outlet ports in at least the following modes;

denying the steam to flow to and from either of the forwardly-directed or the downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the steam to flow to and from both of the forwardly-directed and the downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the steam to flow to and from only the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports; and

allowing the steam to flow to and from only the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports.

10. The accessory of claim 9 further comprising a dispensing portion and an absorbent pad;

wherein the one or more downwardly-directed ports are disposed in a bottom surface of the dispensing portion; and

the bottom surface comprises means for removably receiving the absorbent pad.

11. The accessory of claim 10 wherein the absorbent pad comprises an opening there-through shaped and disposed to avoid the one or more downwardly-directed ports, such that steam flowing there-from does not impact the pad.

12. The accessory of claim 11 wherein the pad comprises a super-absorbent material.

13. The accessory of claim 12 wherein the super-absorbent material comprises hydrophilic fibers and hydrogel-forming particles.

14. The accessory of claim 12 wherein the super-absorbent material comprises cotton and sodium polyacrylate.

15. The accessory of claim 9 further comprising a handle, a rigid tubular wand, and a dispensing portion, wherein;

the valve is disposed in the handle;

the first and second conduits are disposed in the wand;

and the outlet ports are disposed in the dispensing portion.

16. The accessory of claim 15 wherein the one or more downwardly-directed ports are disposed in a bottom surface of the dispensing portion;

and the bottom surface comprises means for removably receiving an absorbent pad.

17. An accessory for a steam generating appliance comprising:

a valve having a first inlet for receiving steam from the steam generating appliance and a second inlet for receiving a sanitizing agent;

one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a first conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports;

a second conduit providing fluid communication between the valve and the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

a valve controller for selectively allowing or denying the steam and the sanitizing agent to flow through the valve and conduits to the outlet ports in at least the following modes;

denying both the steam and the sanitizing agent to flow to and from either of the forwardly-directed or the downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the steam to flow to and from the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and the sanitizing agent to flow to and from the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports;

allowing the sanitizing agent to flow to and from the one or more forwardly-directed outlet ports and the steam to flow to and from the one or more downwardly-directed outlet ports; and

allowing a mixture of the steam and the sanitizing agent to flow to and from both of the forwardly-directed and the downwardly-directed outlet ports.

18. The accessory of claim 17 in combination with the sanitizing agent, wherein the sanitizing agent comprises Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein the percentage of Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride by volume of the sanitizing agent is approximately 0.125.

20. The accessory of claim 17 in combination with the sanitizing agent, wherein the sanitizing agent comprises BTC 2125.

21. The combination of claim 20 wherein the percentage of BTC 2125 by volume of the sanitizing agent is approximately 0.125.

22. The accessory of claim 17 in combination with the sanitizing agent, wherein the sanitizing agent comprises Chlorine Dioxide.

23. The combination of claim 22 wherein the percentage of Chlorine Dioxide by volume of the sanitizing agent is approximately 0.20.

24. The accessory of claim 17 in combination with the sanitizing agent, wherein the sanitizing agent comprises Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride, BTC 2125, and Chlorine Dioxide.

25. The combination of claim 24 wherein the percentage of Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride by volume of the sanitizing agent is approximately 0.125.

26. The accessory of claim 17 further comprising a handle, a rigid tubular wand, and a dispensing head, wherein;

the valve is disposed in the handle;

the first and second conduits are disposed in the wand;

and the outlet ports are disposed in the dispensing head.

27. The accessory of claim 26 wherein the one or more downwardly-directed ports are disposed in a bottom surface of the dispensing head;

and the bottom surface comprises means for removably receiving an absorbent pad.