An apparatus for steam treatment of laundry includes a base containing a water reservoir, connected by a conduit to an ironing and/or smoothing tool including at least one hole for the emission of steam, at least one pole which supports a holding element on which a garment can be hung and/or supported in order to allow it to be treated using the tool, and a support device for placing the tool in a stable manner during inactive ironing and/or smoothing phases, the support device including an attachment member intended to cooperate with a first complementary attachment element supported by the pole in order to allow the support device to be removably attached to the pole, wherein the base includes a second complementary attachment element allowing the support device to be removably attached to the base.

A handheld pressing and steaming appliance includes: an upper arm; a lower arm attached at one end to an end of the upper arm; a steam generation unit mounted on the upper arm; a water reservoir located in the upper arm and/or the lower arm; a water pump fluidly connected to the water reservoir and to the steam generation unit; a heating plate mounted near a free end of the upper arm and including a plurality of first exhaust holes that are in fluid communication with the steam generation unit; and a bearing plate mounted on the lower arm at a free end thereof, the bearing plate including a plurality of second exhaust holes. The appliance is movable between open and closed positions. In the closed the second exhaust holes are substantially aligned with the first exhaust holes, such that steam exhausted from the first exhaust holes also passes through the second exhaust holes.

The present disclosure describes a steam iron having a housing, a handle, a soleplate, a water reservoir comprising a water inlet port, a fill door comprising a plug sized to seal the water inlet port, and a blocking member configured to prevent the plug from sealing the water inlet port during shipment of the steam iron. Methods for preparing a steam iron for shipment are also provided.

A steam ironing apparatus in-cluding a handle connected to a steam-emitting head including a treatment surface intended for being placed vertically opposite a garment to be ironed and including at least one steam outlet opening, the steam-emitting head including a heating body including a steaming chamber including a bottom wall forming an angle of 45 to 90 with the treatment surface and including an injection system to inject liquid into the steaming chamber, wherein the injection system to inject liquid includes at least two nozzles injecting liquid onto two separate steaming areas of the steaming chamber.

A steam ironing apparatus in-cluding a handle connected to a steam-emitting head including a treatment surface intended for being placed vertically opposite a garment to be ironed and including at least one steam outlet opening, the steam-emitting head including a heating body including a steaming chamber including a bottom wall forming an angle of 45 to 90 with the treatment surface and including an injection system to inject liquid into the steaming chamber, wherein the injection system to inject liquid includes at least two nozzles injecting liquid onto two separate steaming areas of the steaming chamber.

A portable steam generator includes a steam generator base including a water reservoir and a steam generation unit that is operatively fluidly connected with the water reservoir for water supply to the steam generation unit. The portable steam generator also includes an iron including a sole plate with openings so that steam can pass through the sole plate. The portable steam generator also includes a flexible hose between the steam generation base and the iron including a steam conduit that is operatively fluidly connected with both the steam generation unit and an internal cavity of the iron for supply steam to the iron. A plurality of handles allow grasping and provide portability to the steam generator.

A portable steam generator includes a steam generator base including a water reservoir and a steam generation unit that is operatively fluidly connected with the water reservoir for water supply to the steam generation unit. The portable steam generator also includes an iron including a sole plate with openings so that steam can pass through the sole plate. The portable steam generator also includes a flexible hose between the steam generation base and the iron including a steam conduit that is operatively fluidly connected with both the steam generation unit and an internal cavity of the iron for supply steam to the iron. A plurality of handles allow grasping and provide portability to the steam generator.

A method of cleaning a substrate (16, 24, 34, 64, 71, 82, 102, 165, 171, 181, 201, 300, 310) with optical energy can comprise applying optical energy from a source of optical energy (12, 21, 31, 91, 103, 114, 121, 131, 141, 151, 164, 191, 202) to the substrate. The method can comprise applying the optical energy to a substrate having a cleaning agent applied thereto, the optical energy having one or more optical parameters selected for cleaning the substrate. The method can comprise reading data from a data bearing element (173) associated with the substrate, communicating the data to a processor (154) associated with a cleaning appliance (10, 30, 40, 60, 70, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 161, 200) comprising the source of optical energy, wherein the processor, responsive to the communicated data, controls the cleaning of the substrate with the optical energy. The method can comprise slidingly contacting the substrate with a work surface, said work surface comprising an aperture (83, 117) and emanating optical energy from the aperture for cleaning the substrate. A cleaning appliance can comprise an appliance body (80, 90, 104, 125) comprising an aperture for emanating optical energy for cleaning the substrate and an optical transmission pathway arranged for propagating optical energy received from an optical energy source to said aperture. The appliance can be adapted and constructed for delivering a cleaning agent to the substrate. The appliance can include a processor, a data interface in communication with the processor, and can be configured such that the processor outputs signals that control the cleaning of the substrate, the processor being configured for controlling, responsive to data received by the data interface and via the output signals, the substrate cleaning. The cleaning appliance can include a suction pump (142) for removing material from the substrate.

A method of cleaning a substrate (16, 24, 34, 64, 71, 82, 102, 165, 171, 181, 201, 300, 310) with optical energy can comprise applying optical energy from a source of optical energy (12, 21, 31, 91, 103, 114, 121, 131, 141, 151, 164, 191, 202) to the substrate. The method can comprise applying the optical energy to a substrate having a cleaning agent applied thereto, the optical energy having one or more optical parameters selected for cleaning the substrate. The method can comprise reading data from a data bearing element (173) associated with the substrate, communicating the data to a processor (154) associated with a cleaning appliance (10, 30, 40, 60, 70, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 161, 200) comprising the source of optical energy, wherein the processor, responsive to the communicated data, controls the cleaning of the substrate with the optical energy. The method can comprise slidingly contacting the substrate with a work surface, said work surface comprising an aperture (83, 117) and emanating optical energy from the aperture for cleaning the substrate. A cleaning appliance can comprise an appliance body (80, 90, 104, 125) comprising an aperture for emanating optical energy for cleaning the substrate and an optical transmission pathway arranged for propagating optical energy received from an optical energy source to said aperture. The appliance can be adapted and constructed for delivering a cleaning agent to the substrate. The appliance can include a processor, a data interface in communication with the processor, and can be configured such that the processor outputs signals that control the cleaning of the substrate, the processor being configured for controlling, responsive to data received by the data interface and via the output signals, the substrate cleaning. The cleaning appliance can include a suction pump (142) for removing material from the substrate.

The invention relates to a system (1) for a garment care device (20, 25) comprising a steam generator (7). The system (1) comprises a pressurization unit (2). The pressurization unit (2) comprises a chamber (3) for receiving water from a water supply system (5) and for delivering the received water towards the steam generator (7), and an actuator (8) cooperating with a retention member (9). The actuator (8) is adapted to displace and load the retention member (9) when water is received in the chamber (3). The retention member (9) is adapted to unload and apply a force to the actuator (8) after water has been received in the chamber (3) to pressurize water received in the chamber (3). The retention member (9) has a stiffness coefficient that varies as a function of displacement of the actuator (8). This invention allows that the flow of pressurized water from the chamber to the steam generator is more purposively controlled so that a given desired steam profile can be generated.