CN105338872A

CN105338872A - Surface cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN105338872A
Application number: CN201480037014.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·格鲁夫
Original assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2013-07-01
Filing date: 2014-02-07
Publication date: 2016-02-17
Also published as: US20160150938A1; AU2014101572A4; GB2515745B; GB201311765D0; EP3016564A1; WO2015001291A1; AU2014285890A1; GB2515745A

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus (10) comprising: a water storage container (12); a steam generator (20) comprising a heating element (20); a pump (30) for supplying water from the water storage container (12) to the steam generator (20); and a fluid passage (42) for guiding steam from the steam generator (20) to a cleaning head (55) of the appliance (10). The apparatus also includes a device (40) movable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position for blocking the fluid passageway (42) and a pressure relief valve (60). Another passage (62) connects the pressure relief valve (60) to a water reservoir (12).

Description

Surface cleaning apparatus

Technical field

The present invention relates to surface cleaning apparatus.More specifically, the present invention relates to the equipment on the surface for clean such as floor or wall using vapour source.

Background technology

It is well-known for using steam cleaner to come clean floor with other surface.In order to clean floor surface, steam cleaner has cleaning head usually, it comprises main body, this main body can be moved over a surface to be cleaned by user, and this main body is suitable for carrying and comprises fabric/textile or other has the cleaning element of the material of the absorbent properties of water vapor-permeable or carries the cleaning element comprising and being made up of above-mentioned material.Steam (or very hot water) is discharged from main body and is contacted cleaned surface by cleaning element, and has the effect loosening dirt from surface.Cleaning element is absorbed in the sewage formed by steam-condensation on the surface.

In order to enable cleaning head be handled on cleaned surface, cleaning head can be attached to hard tube, and steam is fed to this cleaning head by flexible pipe from independent steam generator.Alternatively, hard tube itself can be provided with the supply of steam generator and water to form independently steam cleaning appliance, is also sometimes referred to as " rod-type " or " mop " formula steam cleaner.

The steam generator being suitable for this equipment generally includes tank (such as, user is filled up the water tank of water), electrodynamic pump (it is by the switch control rule of user-operable) and one or more heating element heater.In use, water is supplied to heating element heater by pump from water tank, is then heated there.Then the steam (or very hot water) of gained transmit from heating element heater towards surface to be cleaned.

Usually, the steam generator being suitable for this surface cleaning apparatus does not provide the vapour source of pressurization.But steam drops downwards towards cleaning head under gravity.When user no longer needs vapour source (such as, they have completed clean), user press or suitable switch on release device to disconnect the power being fed to electrodynamic pump.But, continue to drop towards cleaning head and to be still at least heated to a certain degree by any amount of residual heat will heating element heater from the water storing water tank and be supplied to heating element heater.Stop pump operated after this " delayed " cause the water of steam/very hot afterwards (stop pump operated after) a period of time still discharge from equipment at cleaning head place.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, we provide a kind of surface cleaning apparatus, and it comprises:

Tank;

Comprise the steam generator of heating element heater;

Pump, it is for being supplied to steam generator by water from described tank; And

Fluid passage, it is for being directed to the cleaning head of equipment from described steam generator by steam;

Wherein said equipment comprises the device for block fluid path, and described device can move between blocking position and non-obstructing position, and wherein said equipment comprises relief valve, and there is another path described relief valve being connected to described tank.

Further feature of the present invention limits in the appended claims.

Accompanying drawing explanation

Now the mode by means of only example is described embodiments of the invention with reference to accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the perspective view according to surface cleaning apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the example view of the intraware of surface cleaning apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is the alternative exemplary view of the building block of equipment shown in Fig. 1; And

Fig. 4 is the front view of tank of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference to accompanying drawing, those figures show according to surface cleaning apparatus 10 of the present invention.Equipment 10 has floor cleaning head 50, and it is pivotably connected to the handle 11 that user can grasp.Be connected to user can grasping member be tank 12 and housing 18, housing 18 holds steam generator 20, for water being supplied to the pump of steam generator 20 from tank 12 and the output of steam generator being connected to the fluid passage 42 of cleaning head 50.Although Fig. 1 shows implement surface cleaning apparatus 10 of the present invention, should be understood that, the present invention can realize by surface cleaning apparatus in other forms.Particularly, although handle 11 is pivotably connected to cleaning head 50, it not necessarily will connect by this way (such as, it can connect rigidly).In addition, tank 12 and housing 18 can directly be supported in floor cleaning head 19, instead of are attached to handle 11.

With reference to Fig. 2, it illustrates the layout of the intraware of first embodiment of the invention and the example view of connection.As mentioned earlier, equipment 10 comprises the tank 12 of the water 13 for storing certain volume.Typically, tank 12 is removable, so that it can be filled by user and/or empty.But should be understood that, tank 12 necessarily can not remove from the remainder of equipment 10.In the ongoing illustrated embodiment, tank 12 is configured to make, when user fills tank 12 (filling as much as possible) completely, in the upper part of container 12, still to there is volume 14.The object of volume 14 will become apparent after a while.Tank 12 is opened into air, and comprises suitable hole (not shown) for this purpose in a reservoir.Hole is covered to prevent water from container 12 from escaping from (such as when it reverses) by hydrophobic filter but still allows container 12 to be correctly vented simultaneously.

This equipment comprises pump 30, and it is fluidly connected to tank 12 via delivery port access tube 15.The outlet 32 of pump 30 is fluidly connected to steam generator, and this steam generator comprises the heating element heater 20 (may there is more than one element) be positioned in housing.As known in the art like that, pump 30 extracts water from tank 12 and supplies water to heating element heater 20.Water is heated at least close to boiling point by heating element heater 20, and is preferably so that water becomes steam.Hot water and/or steam are discharged from steam generator shell via outlet 22, and outlet 22 is connected to fluid passage 42 steam is directed to cleaning head 50.It should be pointed out that being positioned between path 22 and fluid passage 42 is the device 40 passed through between path 22 and fluid passage 42 for block fluid.Occluding device 40 can move between blocking-up and non-obstructing position, and is provided by magnetic valve in this specific embodiment.The object of valve 20 is to prevent hot water and/or vapor flow from arriving cleaning head 50 by path 42.

The operation of equipment 10 and intraware thereof is realized by the switch 80,81 of user-operable, and these switches in fig. 2 property shown illustrate routinely.Switch 81 provides the connection from power source (such as power supply or battery) to heating element heater 20.Once be activated, heating element heater 20 needs a period of time (several seconds) just to reach operating temperature.Switch 80 provides the connection from power source (such as power supply or battery) to pump 30 and valve 40, with make these assemblies at one time in operation or operate in the mode therebetween with short time period.But should be understood that, the switch of different user-operables can be configured to the operation for independent control pump 30 and valve 40.

Equipment 10 advantageously comprises relief valve 60, and its input is connected to fluid passage 32 by path 61 fluid.The outlet of relief valve 60 is connected to tank 12 by another path (pipe) 62, and wherein path (pipe) 62 extends in container 12 (see Fig. 4) at a certain distance herein.Can see from Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, another path 62 relief valve 60 being connected to tank 12 ends in the volume 14 of tank 12, this volume 14 not moisture 13 in the normal process used.This is very favorable, because flow through relief valve 60 and can be received by the idle space 14 in container 12 by any fluid of path 62.End in volume of air in order to ensure path 62, no matter and the orientation of equipment 10, the free end of pipe 62 is provided with buoyant member 63.Buoyant member 63 guarantees that the free end of pipe 62 floats to the water level top (regardless of its orientation) in container 12.Fig. 4 also illustrates the water outlet pipe 15 of container 12.Can find out, the free end of pipe 15 comprises weighted 71.Weighted 71 guarantees that the free end of pipe 15 sinks to the bottom (regardless of its orientation) of container 12, thus water can be extracted by pump 30 all the time therefrom.

In alternate embodiment in figure 3, entry can be connected to the exit passageway 22' that this fluid passage of fluid passage 61'(61' is connected to steam generator), instead of the entrance of relief valve 60' is connected to path 32 (outlet of pump 30 is connected to steam generator by this path 32).

Relief valve 60,60' is or comprises check valve, but should be understood that, can use the relief valve of other type without departing from the present invention.

The relief valve 60,60' provided in the present invention, the position of the particularly outlet of valve 60,60' ends in the space 14 in the upper part of container 12 for being very favorable for user operation equipment 10.

The operation of equipment 10 is as follows.If user wishes use equipment 10, he/her presses/actuation switch 80,80'.Electrical power is supplied to heating element heater 20,20' by this, and heating element heater 20,20' is heated to its operating temperature.Electrical power is also supplied to pump 30 (although in some cases, this supply just occurs after some time has elapsed, reaches operating temperature to allow heating element heater 20,20') by switch 80,80'.Water 13,13' is supplied to heating element heater 20,20' from tank 12,12' by pump 30,30', heating element heater 20,20' by water heating until water is close to boiling point and/or be transformed into steam.Hot water and/or steam leave the housing holding heating element heater 20,20', and arrive cleaning head 50,50' by valve 40,40'.The operation of switch 80,80' is configured to as far back as this electrical power is supplied to pump 30,30' time, at least make magnetic valve 40,40' move to open mode.Then equipment 10 can move by user on surface to be cleaned.

When user determines not re-use this equipment 10 (or in fact, if run into the power failure of equipment 10), then switch 80,80'(or shortage lead to the electrical power of equipment 10) stop pump 30,30' works and is removed to the electrical power supply of heating element heater 20,20'.In addition, lack the electrical power of leading to magnetic valve 40,40' and guarantee that magnetic valve 40,40' automatically moves to it and prevents hot water and/or steam from leaving the closed position of equipment via cleaning head 50,50'.

But heating element heater 20,20' will need some times to dissipate its heat, and continuation is heated by any water be therefore contained in the housing being suitable for heating element heater 20,20'.In the prior art devices, even if when user has determined to stop using this equipment, this hot water and/or steam will continue to discharge from cleaning head.But, advantageously, configuration of the present invention (such as, valve 40 is provided, 40' and relief valve 60,60') guarantee to turn off equipment at switch 80 place or once the electrical power supply to equipment is lost once user, do not have or seldom hot water and/or steam by cleaning head 50,50' discharges (because valve 40,40' prevents it from doing like this) from equipment 10.

If at accommodation heating element heater 20, have in the housing of 20' any by means of water wherein continue heated (even if heating element heater 20,20' does not have electrical power supply) buildup of pressure, and the level that this buildup of pressure has set higher than relief valve 60 and/or selected, so this pressure will by valve 60,60 and path 62,62' be discharged to tank 12,12'(it can be reused by during user's next operation at equipment 10).Therefore, the present invention is highly beneficial relative to the equipment of prior art, because it is guaranteed once switch 80,80' is " killed ", seldom or do not have hot water and/or steam to continue to discharge from cleaning head 50,50'.In the prior art devices, hot water and/or steam a period of time usually after equipment is " killed " (usually at least 4 seconds) continues to discharge, and this will cause user injured potentially.Even if do not injure, water also continues to discharge from the equipment of prior art, and this to be user undesirable.

Although magnetic valve 40,40' is used as the device of the outlet blocking the housing holding heating element heater 20,20' in the present invention, it should be understood that the occluding device that can use other type.Importantly, preferably, when not having electrical power to be fed to valve, valve will move to it and cut out (namely blocking) state.

The term used in the present specification and claims " comprises (comprises, comprising) " and modification means and comprises specific feature, step or means.These terms should not be interpreted as the existence getting rid of further feature, step or assembly.

Description above or following patent require or in accompanying drawing as required with their particular form or according to the device for performing disclosed function or disclosed feature can realize the present invention with its different form individually or in the mode of any combination of these features for the method that obtains disclosed result or process.

Claims

1. a surface cleaning apparatus, it comprises:

Tank;

Comprise the steam generator of heating element heater;

Pump, it is for being supplied to described steam generator by water from described tank; And

2. equipment according to claim 1, is wherein connected to another path described in described tank and ends in the upper part of described tank by relief valve.

3. according to equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, another path wherein said extends in described tank, and comprises the buoyant member being connected to it, being preferably connected to its free end.

4. the equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, is wherein connected to another path described in described tank and ends in the during normal use water-free part of described tank by described relief valve.

5. the equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said relief valve is fluidly connected to path, and described delivery side of pump is connected to the entrance of described steam generator by described path.

6. the equipment according to any one of claim 2 to 5, wherein said relief valve is fluidly connected to described fluid passage, is directed to described cleaning head for by steam from described steam generator.

7. the equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said relief valve is or comprises check valve.

8. the equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said tank opens into air, and preferably includes the hole covered by hydrophobic filter.

9. the equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, the wherein said device for block fluid path comprises valve.

10. equipment according to claim 9, wherein said valve by electricity operate solenoid-actuated.

11. according to claim 9 or equipment according to claim 10, and wherein said valve is located near described cleaning head.

12. equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said equipment comprises the switch of the user-operable for controlling occluding device operation.

13. equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said equipment comprises the switch of the user-operable for control pump operation.

14. equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein said equipment comprises the switch of the user-operable for controlling heating element heater operation.

15. equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein arrange the switch of a user-operable, with the electrical power supply of simultaneously or substantially side by side control pump, heating element heater and occluding device.

16. equipment according to claim 15, wherein said switch can move between a first state and a second state, and wherein provide electrical connection so that power is side by side fed to described pump and described heating element heater simultaneously or substantially in said first condition, and described occluding device is moved to or remain on non-obstructing position.

17. according to claim 15 or equipment according to claim 16, and wherein in said second condition, described electrical connection disconnects to make power not be supplied to described pump and described heating element heater, and described occluding device moves to blocking position.

18. equipment according to aforementioned arbitrary claim, wherein when not having electrical power to be fed to equipment, occluding device automatically moves to its blocking position.

19. 1 kinds of equipment, it is substantially as described in above with reference to accompanying drawing and shown.

The novel combination of 20. this paper and/or any novel features described in the accompanying drawings or feature.