Vapor cleaner

• US 6,869,065 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mow-Hwa Lin
• Original Assignee: Mow-Hwa Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Mow-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US10/690,373
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 261/3, 261/5, 261/72.1, 261/142, 261/DIG.65, 122/402, 122/403, 153/272, 154/151
• US Class Current: 261/3
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers

Abstract

A vapor cleaner includes a mainframe having a hole defined in a hollow body of the mainframe, a recess defined in the hollow body to receive therein a filter with an inlet in communication with the hole and an outlet in communication with a telescopic tube, a control pump sandwiched between the outlet of the filter and the telescopic tube for pumping water to the telescopic tube, a nozzle assembly detachably connected to the mainframe and having a heater received in the nozzle assembly for heating the water pumped by the control pump to flow through the heater from the telescopic tube, and a reservoir detachably connected to the mainframe via a locking device.

Claims

1. A vapor cleaner comprising:

a mainframe having a hole defined in a hollow body of the mainframe, a recess defined in the hollow body to receive therein a filter with an inlet in communication with the hole and an outlet in communication with a telescopic tube;

a control pump sandwiched between the outlet of the filter and the telescopic tube for pumping water to the telescopic tube;

a nozzle assembly detachably connected to the mainframe and having a heater received in the nozzle assembly for heating the water pumped by the control pump to flow through the heater from the telescopic tube; and

a reservoir detachably connected to the mainframe via a locking device which comprises;

a spring driven hooking member received in an indentation in the hollow body and having a hook formed on a front portion of the hooking member and a press formed on a rear portion and extending out of the hooking member,

multiple cutouts defined in the hollow body;

an L-shaped plate formed on a front portion of a bottom of the reservoir to correspond to the hook of the hooking member; and

multiple engaging plates formed on a side face of the reservoir to correspond to the cutouts of the hollow body of the mainframe.

2. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mainframe further has a casing mounted on top of the reservoir to encase the reservoir and having a centrally defined through hole and a positioning ledge formed on a periphery of the through hole of the casing.

3. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the nozzle assembly is detachably connected to a combination of the casing and the reservoir via a positioning device provided to secure engagement between the nozzle assembly and the mainframe and comprising:

a positioning recess defined in a rear portion of the nozzle assembly;

a pivot pivotally received in and extending out from a side face of the wall and having a locking head formed on a first distal end of the pivot;

an extension formed on a mediate portion of the pivot and a block formed on a second distal end of the pivot and a control knob movably received in the wall of the mainframe to engage with the block, wherein a first spring is provided between a side wall of the mainframe and the extension to provide a recovery force to the pivot and a second spring is mounted around the control knob to provide a recovery force to the control knob such that when the nozzle assembly is to be mounted on top of the mainframe, the locking plate formed on the bottom of the nozzle assembly is inserted under the positioning ledge and then the locking head is inserted into the positioning recess in the rear portion of the nozzle assembly, whereby the nozzle assembly is secured to the mainframe.

4. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reservoir has an exit corresponding to the hole of the mainframe and a unidirectional valve mounted inside the exit to correspond to extension rods formed on an inner periphery defining the hole such that when the reservoir is mounted on the mainframe, the unidirectional valve is activated by the extension rods of the mainframe.

5. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reservoir has an exit corresponding to the hole of the mainframe and a unidirectional valve mounted inside the exit to correspond to extension rods formed on an inner periphery defining the hole such that when the reservoir is mounted on the mainframe, the unidirectional valve is activated by the extension rods of the mainframe.

6. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reservoir has an exit corresponding to the hole of the mainframe and a unidirectional valve mounted inside the exit to correspond to extension rods formed on an inner periphery defining the hole such that when the reservoir is mounted on the mainframe, the unidirectional valve is activated by the extension rods of the mainframe.

7. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a baffle securely connected to a rear portion of the mainframe by a neck such that the telescopic tube is able to be mounted around the neck to save space.

8. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a baffle securely connected to a rear portion of the mainframe by a neck such that the telescopic tube is able to be mounted around the neck to save space.

9. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a baffle securely connected to a rear portion of the mainframe by a neck such that the telescopic tube is able to be mounted around the neck to save space.

10. The vapor cleaner as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a baffle securely connected to a rear portion of the mainframe by a neck such that the telescopic tube is able to be mounted around the neck to save space.