Patent · US Expired

Omnidirectional portable appliance for steam cleaning hard or flexible surfaces

US6031969A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
3References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 1998
Grant dateFeb 29, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 30, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF22B1/284
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

The omnidirectional portable appliance for steam cleaning surfaces both hard and flexible, comprises a case provided with a handle, a water feed orifice, an electricity power cord, a cleaning head, a steam generator included in the case and a venturi device [means for selectively] delivering steam to the cleaning head. The instantaneous steam generator having low thermal inertia operates at atmospheric pressure and comprises a capillary body for storing in divided form all of the supply of water to be evaporated, [in divided form] the capillary body being compressed around [the electrical heater means which comprise] a [metal-clad] resistance element and a heater body constituted by a [having a] material that is a good conductor of heat, is overmolded on the resistance element and [thereon to form a heater body which] is associated with at least one heat transmission element connected to [the] a hottest portion of the heater body and provided with a temperature sensor enabling the control of power fed to the [metal-clad] resistance element to be optimized so as to be safe regardless of the orientation in three dimensions of the steam generator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.