ANTI-SCALD TRICKLING CLOTHES STEAMER

Abstract

An anti-scald trickling clothes steamer belongs to ironing devices. All water in a water tank of existing electric kettle clothes steamers is heated, so scalding is likely to be caused. In the invention, an atomizing device is arranged in a main body and connected with a water tank, and receives water automatically trickling from the water tank by means of a difference in water level, and when the atomizing device heats water to generate steam, only water automatically trickling from the water tank rather than all water in the water tank is heated, such that scalding caused splashing of boiling water are voided. Even if water flows out of the water tank when the clothes steamer falls, because the water in the water tank is not heated and is at normal temperature, scalding will not be caused, either.

Claims

1. An anti-scald trickling clothes steamer, comprising: a main body placed upright; a water tank arranged on the main body and forming a combination together with the main body; an atomizing device located in the main body, connected with the water tank, and receiving water automatically trickling from the water tank by means of a difference in water level; a steam pipe connected with the atomizing device, used for discharging steam generated by the atomizing device, arranged on the main body and extending upwards from the atomizing device to ensure that an outlet of the steam pipe is higher than the atomizing device; and a handle arranged on the combination and used for holding the trickling clothes steamer.

2. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein the handle and the outlet of the steam pipe are located on two opposite sides of the trickling clothes steamer separately.

3. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein a controllable water valve is arranged between the water tank and the atomizing device, and the atomizing device receives water automatically trickling from the water tank via the controllable water valve.

4. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 3, wherein the controllable water valve comprises a water delivery hole, a valve plug and a bimetal sheet, the valve plug is arranged at the water delivery hole, and the bimetal sheet is arranged next to the valve plug and configured to deform with the change of a degree of being heated to promote the valve plug to change its position to open or close the water delivery hole.

5. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 4, wherein the valve plug is provided with a shaft and a sealing cover connected with the shaft, the shaft is located at the water delivery hole, the sealing cover is located at an opening of the water delivery hole, and the sealing cover is able to cover the opening of the water delivery hole to close the water delivery hole and leave the opening of the water delivery hole to open the water delivery hole.

6. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 4, wherein the bimetal sheet is configured to receive heat from the atomizing device and open the water delivery hole when the degree of being heated is increased.

7. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 4, wherein the controllable water valve comprises a wall, the water delivery hole is formed in the wall, a bottom cover is arranged on a lower side of the wall, the valve plug is arranged on the bottom cover through an elastic portion and seals the water delivery hole by means of the elastic portion, and the bimetal sheet is configured to overcome an elastic force from the elastic portion to open the water delivery hole.

8. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 4, wherein a channel is formed between the wall and the bottom cover, and the channel is connected with the water delivery hole and the atomizing device.

9. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 8, wherein a controllable flow control lever is configured for the channel.

10. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 7, wherein a bottom wall of the water tank functions as the wall.

11. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is fixed in the main body, a water filling hole is formed in a top of the water tank, and a water tank cover is arranged over the water filling hole.

12. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 11, wherein a balance hole is formed in the water tank cover.

13. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 11, wherein a sealing element is arranged at the water filling hole of the water tank, and the when covering the water filling hole, the water tank cover is in contact with the sealing element to prevent water from leaking via the water filling hole.

14. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 7, wherein the wall is arranged on the main body, a water outlet connected with the water delivery hole is formed in a bottom of the water tank, and the water outlet is configured to be opened when connected with the water delivery hole and be closed when separated from the water delivery hole.

15. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is detachably arranged on the main body.

16. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 15, wherein the water tank and the body form a combination by means of a combining mechanism, and the combining mechanism comprises a magnetic structure and/or a lock structure.

17. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein the handle is arranged on the main body or the water tank.

18. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 1, wherein the main body is provided with a nozzle located at a top of the main body, and the outlet of the steam pipe is extended to the nozzle.

19. The anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to claim 18, wherein a steam panel is arranged at the outlet of the steam pipe, and a steam outlet is formed in the steam panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional structural view of an anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to Embodiment 1 of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic view in a case where a water delivery hole in FIG. 1 is closed by a valve plug;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic view in a case where the water delivery hole in FIG. 1 is opened by the valve plug;

[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional structural view of an anti-scald trickling clothes steamer according to Embodiment 2 of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic view in a case where a water tank and a main body of the trickling clothes steamer in FIG. 4 are separated;

[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a water outlet in Embodiment 2;

[0042] FIG. 7 is a schematic view in a case where the water outlet in FIG. 6 is opened;

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0043] 100, main body; 101, handle; 102, nozzle; 103, base; 104, retaining

[0044] position; 105, hook portion; [0045] 200, water tank; 201, water filling hole; 202, wall; 203, sealing element; 204, water outlet; 205, valve ball; 206, third spring; 207, magnet; 208, hook; 209, push button; 210, slope; 211, first spring; 212, second spring; [0046] 300, controllable water valve; 301, water delivery hole; 302, valve plug; 303, bimetal sheet; 304, shaft; 305, sealing cover; 306, bottom cover; 307, elastic portion; 308, channel; 309, flow control lever; 310, tube; 311, slot; [0047] 400, water tank cover; 401, balance hole; [0048] 500, atomizing device; 501, main part; 502, electric heating tube; 503, temperature controller; [0049] 600, steam pipe; 601, outlet; [0050] 700, steam panel; 701, steam outlet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] To gain a better understanding of the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments in the following description are merely illustrative ones, and are not all possible ones of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those ordinarily skilled in the art based on the following ones without creative labor should also fall within the protection scope of the invention.

[0052] Terms comprise and provided with and any variants thereof in the description and claims of the invention are intended to indicate non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a method or product comprising a series of technical features is not necessarily limited to the technical features clearly listed, and may also comprise other technical features that are not clearly listed and may be included in the method or product.

[0053] The invention will be introduced in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1

[0054] As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment provides an anti-scald trickling clothes steamer, comprising a main body 100, a water tank 200, a controllable water valve 300, a water tank cover 400, an atomizing device 500 and a steam pipe 600.

[0055] The main body 100 is provided with a base 103, a handle 101 and a nozzle 102, wherein the base 103 allows the main body to be upright placed on a platform, and the handle 101 and the nozzle 101 together with an outlet 601 of the steam pipe are located on left and right sides of the trickling clothes steamer separately. In this way, the whole main body is shaped like a kettle. Users can operate the trickling clothes steamer by holding the handle.

[0056] The water tank 200 is located in the main body 100, a water filling hole 201 is formed in the top of the water tank 200 and located at an upper end of the main body 1000, a sealing element 203 is arranged at the water filling hole of the water tank, and a controllable water valve 300 is arranged at the bottom of the water tank 200.

[0057] The controllable water valve 300 comprises a water delivery hole 301, a valve plug 302 and a bimetal sheet 303.

[0058] The water delivery hole 301 is formed in a wall 202, and in this embodiment, a bottom wall of the water tank functions as the wall 202.

[0059] A bottom cover 306 is arranged on a lower side of the wall 202, and the valve plug 302 is arranged on the bottom cover 306 through an elastic portion 307 and seals the water delivery hole 301 by means of the elastic portion. Wherein, the elastic portion 307 is integrated with the bottom cover 306 and the valve plug 302, such that the bottom cover, the valve plug and the elastic portion are preferably made from an elastic material such as silicone. The valve plug 302 is provided with a shaft 304 and a sealing cover 305 connected with the shaft 304. The shaft 304 is located at the water delivery hole 301 and connected with the elastic portion 307. The sealing cover 305 is located at an upper opening of the water delivery hole 301. As shown in FIG. 2, the sealing cover 305 covers the upper opening of the water delivery hole 301 to close the water delivery hole; and as shown in FIG. 3, the sealing cover 305 moves upwards to leave the upper opening of the water delivery hole 301 to open the water delivery hole. Further, a channel 306 is formed between the wall 202 and the bottom cover 306 and connected with the water delivery hole 301 and the atomizing device 500. A controllable flow control lever 309 is configured for the channel 308, and a variable-flow passage is formed in a length direction of the flow control lever 309, such that the flow rate can be controlled by adjusting the position of the flow control lever in the length direction. The flow control lever may be driven by rotation of a rotary knob to move in the length direction to be adjusted.

[0060] The bimetal sheet 303 is formed by stacking together two metal sheets with different expansion coefficients. When heated synchronously, the two metal sheets will expand to different degrees to promote the bimetal sheet to deform towards one side. As shown, the bimetal sheet 303 is located below the valve plug 302 and is next to the atomizing device 500, such that the atomizing device can receive heat from the bimetal sheet. At normal temperature, the sealing cover 305, as shown in FIG. 2, covers the upper opening of the water delivery hole 201 by means of an elastic force from the elastic portion 307 to close the water delivery hole. When the anti-scald trickling clothes steamer works, with the rise of the temperature of the atomizing device 500, the bimetal sheet 303 will deform upwards to overcome the elastic force from the elastic portion 307 to eject the valve plug 303, at this moment, the sealing cover 305, as shown in FIG. 3, moves upwards to leave the upper opening of the water delivery hole 301 to open the water delivery hole, and water trickles automatically from the water tank 200 via the water delivery hole 301 based on a difference in water level and then flows into the atomizing device 500 via the channel 308. The dotted line with an arrow in FIG. 3 indicates the path of the water flow. When the water flow passes through the channel 308, the flow rate of water is controlled by adjusting the position of the flow control lever 309 in the length direction. When the anti-scald trickling clothes steamer stops working, the temperature of the atomizing device 500 will drop, the temperature of the bimetal sheet 303 will drop accordingly, and the valve plug 302 restores to the state shown in FIG. 2 to close the water delivery hole 301.

[0061] The water tank cover 400 is arranged over the water filling hole 201 by clamping or threaded connection and seals the water tank by means of the sealing element 203. A balance hole 401 is formed in the water tank cover 400.

[0062] The atomizing device 500 is configured as a boiler structure, arranged in the main body 100 and located below the water tank 200. An electric heating tube 502 is buried in a main part 501 of the atomizing device 500. When power is supplied to the electric heating tube, the electric heating tube will generate heat to heat the whole atomizing device. The atomizing device 500 is connected with the controllable water valve 300 to receive water from the water tank. To control the temperature of the atomizing device, a temperature controller 503 may be configured for the atomizing device.

[0063] The steam pipe 600 is connected with the atomizing device 500 and used for discharging steam generated by the atomizing device, and the dotted line with an arrow in FIG. 1 indicates the path along which the steam is discharged. The outlet 601 of the steam pipe 600 is extended to the nozzle 102. Because the handle and the nozzle are located on the left and right sides separately and the handle 101 and the outlet 601 of the steam pipe are also located on two opposite sides of the main body separately, a hand holding the handle will not be scalded by steam spraying out via the outlet 601 of the steam pipe. In addition, the water outlet 601 of the steam pipe and the wafter filling hole 201 of the water tank are located at the same altitude and are higher than the atomizing device 500. Moreover, a steam panel 700 is arranged at the water outlet 601 of the steam pipe, and a steam outlet is formed in the steam panel 700.

[0064] According to the atomizing device, in a case where water is stored in the water tank, at normal temperature, the sealing cover 305, as shown in FIG. 2, covers the upper opening of the water delivery hole 301 by means of an elastic force from the elastic portion 307, and water will not be delivered from the water tank to the atomizing device. When the anti-scald trickling clothes steamer works, the atomizing device is preheated first, the bimetal sheet 303 will deform upwards with the rise of the temperature of the atomizing device to overcome the elastic force from the elastic portion 307 so as to eject the valve plug 302, at this moment, the sealing cover 305, as shown in FIG. 3, will move upwards to leave the upper opening of the water delivery hole 301 to open the water delivery hole, and water flows out of the water tank via the water delivery hole 301 and then flows into the atomizing device 500 via the channel 308. The water delivery hole may be opened at a moment the temperature of the atomizing device reaches a water atomizing temperature, such that water dripping can be avoided. As shown, the outlet 601 of the steam pipe is higher than the atomizing device 500, such that even if the water delivery hole is opened before the temperature of the atomizing device reaches the atomizing temperature to allow a small amount of water to enter the atomizing device, the small amount of water will not flow out via the outlet of the steam pipe and will be atomized later with the further rise of the temperature of the atomizing device.

[0065] According to the clothes steamer, when the atomizing device heats water to generate steam, only water delivered from the water tank rather than all water in the water tank will be heated, such that scalding caused by splashing of boiling water are avoided; and even if water flows out of the water tank when the clothes steamer falls, because water in the water tank is not heated and is at normal temperature, scalding will not be caused, either. The clothes steamer is high in safety, easy to operate, simple and reasonable in structure, and reliable in life.

[0066] pump, thus being low in manufacturing cost and capable of saving energy during operation.

Embodiment 2

[0067] As shown in FIG. 4-FIG. 7, this embodiment provides an anti-scald trickling clothes steamer, which is different from the anti-scald trickling clothes steamer in Embodiment 1 mainly in the configuration of the water tank. To avoid unnecessary details, only the difference is detailed below.

[0068] Different from Embodiment 1 where the water tank is fixed in the main body to form a combination, in this embodiment, the water tank 200 is detachably arranged on the main body 100. In addition, the handle 101 is arranged on the water tank 200, and the handle 101 and the outlet 601 of the steam pipe are located on two opposite sides of the trickling clothes steamer separately.

[0069] Specifically, a retaining position 104 is arranged on the main body 100, and as shown in FIG. 4, the water tank 200 is placed at the retaining position 101 to fulfill the form shown in FIG. 1.

[0070] To combine the water tank and the main body, a combining mechanism is arranged to allow the water tank 200 and the main body 100 to form a combination. According to the combining mechanism, the water tank can be combined with the main body as shown in FIG. 4 or be separated from the main body as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4-5, the combining mechanism comprises a magnetic structure and a lock structure. The magnetic structure, as shown in FIG. 5, comprises corresponding magnets 207 which are arranged at the retaining position 104 and the bottom of the water tank, and when the water tank is placed at the retaining position, the water tank and the main body are magnetically combined by means of the magnets. In addition, the lock structure comprises a hook portion 105 arranged at an upper end of the main body 100, as well as a hook 208 and a push button 209 which are arranged at the top of the water tank 200, and the hook 208 fits the push button 209 by means of a slope 210. As shown in FIG. 4, in a natural state, the push button 209 is maintained at a position on the right under the action of an elastic force from a first spring 211, and the hook 208 hooks the hook portion 105, such that the water tank and the main body are prevented from being separated from each other in the left-right direction. To ensure that the hook can hook the hook portion, a second spring 212 is arranged on the hook to apply a downward elastic force to the hook so as to prevent the hook from being separated from the hook portion. The magnetic structure and the lock structure work together to reliably combine the water tank and the main body into the combination, such that users can operate the trickling clothes steamer by holding the handle to fulfill the same using effect as the trickling clothes steamer shown in FIG. 1.

[0071] When pushed leftwards from the state shown in FIG. 4, the push button 209 overcomes the elastic force from the first spring 211 and the elastic force from the second spring 212 to lift the hook 209 by means of the slope 210, and the hook 208 is separated from the hook portion 105, such that the water tank can be detached from the main body. After the water tank is detached from the main body, water can be filled into the water tank more easily.

[0072] Under the enlightenment of the magnetic structure and the lock structure, the water tank and the main body can still be reliably combined by replacing the lock structure with another magnetic structure or replacing the magnetic structure with another lock structure.

[0073] In this embodiment, because the water tank is detachably arranged on the main body, the wall is arranged on the main body, which means that the controllable water valve 300 in Embodiment 1 is completely arranged on the main body 100, as indicated by the dashed box in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0074] In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, a tube 310 extends upwards from the water delivery hole of the controllable water valve 300, and a radial slot 311 is formed in an upper end of the tube 210. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a water outlet 204 connected with the water delivery hole 301 is formed in the bottom of the water tank, a valve ball 205 is arranged in the water outlet, and as shown in FIG. 6, the valve ball 205 seals the water outlet 204 under the action of an elastic force from a third spring 206 to prevent water from flowing out of the water tank. When the water tank 200, as shown in FIG. 5, is placed at the retaining position 104 to be combined with the main body 100, the tube 310 is inserted into the water outlet 204 to eject the valve ball 205 upwards, and then water can flow from the water tank into the water delivery hole along the path indicated by the dotted line with an arrow in FIG. 7. Similar to Embodiment 1, water flowing into the water delivery hole from the water tank will still be controlled by the controllable water valve, and detailed will not be repeated here. In this way, the water outlet is opened when connected with the water delivery hole and is closed when separated from the water delivery hole.

[0075] Further, in this embodiment, because the push button is arranged at the top of the water tank and occupies the position of the water filling hole in Embodiment 1, the water filling hole 201 is formed in an upper portion of the water tank and located above the handle 101 to be used for filling water into the water tank.

[0076] In other embodiments, the water outlet 204, the valve ball 205 and the third spring 206 rested on the valve ball may be arranged on a cover, a water inlet is formed in the bottom of the water tank, and the cover is threadedly assembled at the water inlet of the water tank like a cap threadedly connected with an opening of a bottle. After the cover is removed, water can be filled into the water tank via the inlet, so the water filling hole can be eliminated in this case.

[0077] Other structures of this embodiments are identical with those of Embodiment 1 and thus will not be repeated anymore.