Patent ID: 11959223
Assignee: HAMILTON BEACH BRANDS, INC.
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC D | IPC D

Claim 9:
10. A method of steaming an item, comprising:
(a) providing a handheld appliance comprising:
an upper arm;
a lower arm pivotally 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 switch positioned on one of the upper and lower arms, the switch operatively connected with the pump, wherein movement of the appliance to a closed position causes the switch to activate the pump;
a heating plate mounted near a free end of the upper arm, the heating plate 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;

(b) generating steam with the steam generation unit;
(c) moving the upper arm toward the lower arm to bring the heating plate closely adjacent to the bearing plate; and
(d) passing steam from the steam generation unit through the first exhaust holes and through at least one of the second plurality of exhaust holes and onto an item to be steamed.