Abstract:
A diffuser with an absorbent substrate for holding a steam diffusible composition, such as a fragrance for mounting on a steam frame of a steam appliance is provided. The steam appliance has a water pump for selectively injecting water from a reservoir to a boiler to generate steam fed into a steam frame with a fabric pad or steam pocket mounted thereon. The steam envelopes the diffuser to dispense a fragrance or other material in the absorbable substrate into the generated steam in response to a user use or movement of the appliance. When steam is generated and passes the diffuser, the composition is heated to a temperature it will vaporize and be distributed with the steam through the fabric pad or steam pocket.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims the benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/142,298, filed Jan. 2, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to steam appliances, and more particularly to steam appliances including a fragrance diffuser that emits a fragrance or other vapor when the appliance generates steam. 
     Steaming devices used to apply steam to household objects are well known. The uses of the devices vary widely, and may include the application of steam to drapes or other fabrics to remove wrinkles, and the application of steam to objects to assist in cleaning the various objects and surfaces. 
     In general, nozzles used with the steam appliances do not have large surface areas and a cloth or fabric pad is placed over a steam frame to provide an enlarged steaming or cleaning surface. The fabric pad may have hook and loops fasteners, such as Velcro strips to secure the fabric to cleats on the nozzle. Alternatively, a fabric steam pocket may be placed around a flat steam frame with baffles in order to increase the cleaning surface area of the appliance. 
     Recently, steam appliances have been developed where water is pumped from a water reservoir to a boiler in response to the push-pull movement of the appliance. This movement actuates a mechanical or electrical pump to pump water from the water reservoir to a steam generator in the appliance for feeding steam to the fabric pad or pocket. Examples of these features in steam appliances are shown and described in parent application Ser. No. 11/496,143 and Ser. No. 11/769,525. Hand-held devices include steam brushes with mechanical or electrical pumps as shown in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/540,957, or electrical pumps as shown in Ser. No. 12/617,518. Additionally, the appliance may have a rigid steam frame for installing a fabric pad or fabric steam pocket as shown in these applications, or have a flexible steam frame as shown in Ser. No. 12/554,477. The contents of each of these applications are incorporated here by reference in their entirety. 
     Notwithstanding the wide variety of steam appliances with various types of steam frames available, it remains desirable to provide additional steam products having improved features, such as emitting a vapor or fragrance when desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a fragrance diffuser for use with a steam appliance is provided. The fragrance diffuser includes an absorbent substrate for holding a steam diffusible composition for placement between the appliance steam outlet and a fabric pad or pocket used with the appliance. The steam appliance has a water pump for selectively injecting water from a reservoir to a boiler to generate steam that envelopes the diffuser to dispense a fragrance or other material into the generated steam in response to a user use or movement of the appliance. The absorbent substrate may be mounted on a base or clip for mounting on the steam frame, or the substrate itself may be formed into a unitary clip to mount onto the steam frame. Alternatively, the diffuser may be formed from a carrier having a base with a clip and a perforated plate hinged to the base for holding an absorbent pad or substrate. The base is mounted to the appliance, preferably at the steam frame behind the fabric pad or pocket. 
     The user may actuate the water pump by movement of the appliance to activate a mechanical pump piston, or actuate a motion switch or micro-switch, in response to the movement of the appliance. Water is pumped to a steam generator and the steam generated is distributed through a steam outlet or nozzle in the steam frame for steaming. As the steam passes the diffuse, it raises the temperature of the substrate to release the fragrance or other composition absorbed therein. The steam with fragrance is then passed through the fabric steam pad or steam pocket mounted on the steam frame to provide improved steaming 
     The diffuser is formed from a porous substrate impregnated with a fragrance or other composition that is activated at or below steam temperature. The diffuser is placed in the towel frame between the steam outlet and the fabric towel. Steam generated in the boiler passes over the diffuser to vaporize the fragrance or other composition for dispensing through the fabric towel with the steam. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved steam appliance. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved steam appliance having a fragrance diffuser between the steam outlet and fabric pad or pocket to dispense a fragrance or other composition in the diffuser when the appliance is in use. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fragrance diffuser in the form of a clip for use with a steam appliance. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a steam appliance with fragrance dispenser that pumps water to a steam generator in response to movement of the appliance. 
     Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification. 
     The invention accordingly comprises a product possessing the features, properties, and the relation of components which will be exemplified in the product hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing(s), in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a steam mop constructed and arranged in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective side views of the mop housing in the steam mop of  FIG. 1  showing the water inlet and funnel; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the mop housing in section showing a reservoir, a pump and a boiler of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the mop housing in section showing connections for reservoir, boiler and steam mop frame in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view in section of the pump and boiler of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rectangular steam pocket frame suitable for use with the type of steam mop shown in  FIG. 1  with a fragrance diffuser attached; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a triangular shaped steam pocket frame suitable for use with the type of steam mop shown in  FIG. 1  with a fragrance diffuser attached; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the front side of the fragrance diffuser installed in the frames in  FIGS. 6 and 7  including a fragrance absorbent material and mounting fingers; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the front side of the fragrance diffuser; 
         FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of a fragrance diffuser showing the integral mounting fingers; 
         FIGS. 11-13  illustrate another form of a fragrance diffuser formed of a carrier and absorbent fragrance pad and its assembly; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of steam mop including a steam pad frame attachment for receiving a fabric steam pad; 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the steam pad frame of the steam mop of  FIG. 14  with an installed diffuser; 
         FIG. 16  is a top plan view of a fabric steam pad suitable for use with the steam pad frame attachment of  FIG. 14 ; and 
         FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the frame of  FIG. 15  with the fabric steam pad of  FIG. 16  mounted on the frame; and 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a flexible steam frame suitable to receive a fragrance diffuser in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a steam mop  10  constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Mop  10  includes an elongated housing  11  with a water reservoir  21  and a boiler  23  and an upper tube  12   a  and a lower tube  12   b  connected to one end of housing  11 . A handle  13  is attached to the end of upper tube  12   a . A steam frame  14  with an installed steam pocket  15  is operatively connected to the other end of housing  11  by a connector  16 . In this embodiment, connector  16  and frame  14  may be removed from housing  11  by pressing a release button  17  at the base of housing  11 . Water is introduced into a reservoir  21  at a water inlet or opening  18   a . The level of water present in a reservoir  21  in housing  11  shown in  FIG. 3  can be viewed through a sighting window  19 . The specifics of fabric steam pocket  15  will be described below. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective side views of housing  11 . Water inlet  18   a  has a water cap  18   b  that is removed for filling to exposed opening  18   a . The region around opening  18   a  is shaped like a funnel  20  allows a user to fill reservoir  21  without spilling. Housing  11  also includes at least one sighting window  19  that allows a user to observe the water level in water container  21 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front plan view in section showing the location of elements in housing  11 . Water container  21  is positioned adjacent and surrounds a boiler  23 . A one-way pump  22  pumps water from reservoir  21  to boiler  23  in response to the push-pull movement of mop  10 . This movement of handle  13  causes operation of one way valve  22  as will be described in detail below. Here, water container  21  wraps around the back of housing  11 . 
       FIG. 4  is a detailed front view of showing how water container  21 , showing the hoses connecting one-way pump  22  and boiler  23  as described in connection with  FIG. 5 . Water pump  22  includes a pump body  33  having a pump cavity. A pump piston  34  is connected to a push rod  36  which in turn is connected to pole  12  or handle  13 . As mop handle  13  is pulled by a user piston  34  creates a negative pressure in the pump cavity. This draws water from reservoir  21  into a water supply hose that feeds into pump water inlet  27  through a one-way inlet valve  37  to fill cavity  33   a . As handle  13  is pushed during use, piston  34  moves downward and water in the pump cavity is expelled through a one-way outlet valve  38  into pump outlet hose  28 . This water is then introduced into a boiler inlet  23   a  in boiler  23 . Water in boiler  23  is heated by a heating element  39  in a boiler cavity  41 . Heating element  39  is connected to electrical connectors  39   a  and  39   b . Steam generated in boiler cavity  41  is fed through a steam valve  42  into a steam chamber  43 . Steam is then expelled through a steam outlet  44  to a steam hose  46  and to a steam outlet fitting  47 . 
     One-way inlet valve  37  and one-way outlet valve  38  are duck-bill valves formed of a flexible elastomeric material, such a rubber. The valves are conical in shape so that when handle  13  is pulled, water is drawn through inlet valve  37  while outlet valve  38  remains closed. Similarly, when handle  13  is pushed, water is forced out through outlet valve  38  and inlet valve  37  remains closed and water is fed into boiler  23 . In another embodiment, a mechanical bellow pump that may be used in steam mop housing  11  to pump water from water container  21  to boiler  23 . Alternatively, the pump can be a two-way piston pump that pumps water when its piston is displaced both in the forward direction and also in the return backwards motion. This type of pump is shown in co-pending application Ser. No. 11/842,478. The contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Fabric steam pocket  15  is configured to slip over frame  14  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this respect, pocket  15  is formed of a first layer of fabric  15   a  and an opposed second layer of fabric  15   b  (not shown). Fabric layers  15   a  and  15   b  each have a substantially rectangular shape with two opposed long edges  15   c  and  15   d  and two opposed short sides  15   e  and  15   f . Long edge  15   c  and two opposed short side  15   e  and  15   f  are stitched to form pocket  15 . Accordingly, fabric steam pocket  15  is open on long edge  15   d . The fabric along the opening on long edge  15   d  may be optionally closed with a hook and loop fastener, buttons or snaps. Here, steam pocket  15  is cut along a line  62  to form a slot  63  around the width of connector  16  on the first layer  15   a  and opposed second layer  15   b  to fit around connector body  16 . Slot  63  has a length a distance  62   a  from rear edge  15   d  to about the pair of nozzles  16   c  shown in  FIG. 7 . This allows for vertical rotation of housing  11  without bending the fabric of fabric steam pocket  15  and use of both sides of steam pocket  15  for cleaning without having to remove and re-install steam pocket  15 . 
     In this illustrated embodiment, steam pocket  15  is a cloth or towel. Steam pocket may be formed of any suitable fabric such as a natural or synthetic fabric material. Accordingly, it may be polyester, acrylic, polyamide or polyolefin fiber, or a blend. The material may be woven or knit. Preferably, the fabric of pocket  15  is a microfiber. Most preferably, the microfiber includes a synthetic polyester microfiber. 
       FIG. 6  shows the details of steam pocket frame  14  having a front wall  101 , an opposed rear wall  102 , a right side wall  103  and left side wall  104 . Rear wall  102  includes a cut-out section  106  for receiving connector  16 . A steam distributor or manifold  107  extends from rear wall  102  to the front of frame  14  and connects connector  16  to the steam generated in boiler  23 . Manifold  107  has steam openings  108  to distribute steam to both sides of frame  14 . A plurality of interior baffles  109  extend from one side of frame  14  to the other side. Here, baffles  109  are curved at ends  111  and  112  and have a straight section  113  in the center so they are parallel and perpendicular when they cross manifold  107 . A diffuser  151  in accordance with the invention is installed in frame  14  at cut out  106  in rear wall  102  across manifold  107 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a triangular steam frame  121  having a rear wall  122  and two side walls  123  and  124  to form the triangular shape. Rear wall  122  has a cut-out section  126  for receiving connector  16 . A steam distributor or manifold  127  with a plurality of steam openings  128  extends from cut-out  126  at rear wall  122  to the front of frame  121 . A plurality of interior baffles  129  extend from one side of frame  121  to the other side. Here, baffles  129  are curved at ends  131  and  132  and have a straight section  133  in the center and are perpendicular when they cross manifold  127 . Diffuser  151  is mounted on frame  121  at the base of triangular frame  121 . 
     Diffuser  151  is shown in detail in  FIGS. 8-10 . Diffuser  151  is formed from an absorbable substrate material, such as a micro-porous polymer or a fiberboard. It is substantially planar with a rectangular diffuser base  152 , or may have a piece of absorbent material secured on diffuser base  152 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the substrate is formed from the absorbent substrate material formed into a single unitary piece. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , diffuser base  152  is formed with a flat substrate face  153  with a cut-out region  154  to allow for mounting over a steam frame manifold. Diffuser base  152  may be formed in any convenient size, but should have a height no greater that the height of the side walls of frames  14  and  121 . Diffuser base  152  is formed with two diffuser fingers  156  for a engaging a vertical frame member, such as an interior or outer side wall or baffle of a steam frame as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Each finger  156  is biased towards substrate face  153  so that when diffuser  151  is positioned on a vertical member in the frame, fingers  156  engage the vertical member to hold diffuser  151  in place. 
       FIGS. 11-13  illustrate another fragrance diffuser assembly  211  formed from a carrier  212  having a base  213  with two mounting fingers  214  and a perforated cover plate  216  that is hinged to base  213  by a live hinge  218 . A saturated fragrance pad  219  is placed on base  213  as shown in  FIG. 12 . Perforated cover  216  is closed over pad  219  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Once assembled, assembly  211  is installed on steam frame  14  or  121  over manifold  104  in the same manner as diffuser  111 . This type of assembly allows a user to install fragrance diffuser  211  on a steam frame without having to touch adsorbent pad  219  that is saturated with fragrance. 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a steam mop  200  having a housing or main body  201  connected to a steam pad frame  202  at one end and a pole  203  with a handle  204  at the other end of pole  203 . Housing  201  includes a water container or tank  21  as shown in  FIG. 3  as part of the upper part of housing  201  with a filler cap  208 . Tank  21  is connected to boiler  23  by pump  22 . An upper cord hanger  206  is mounted on handle  204  and a lower cord hanger  207  for easy storage of a power cord. Housing  201  includes an operating light  209  to indicate power is on. 
     Steam pad frame  202  is substantially rectangular in shape and includes a central steam opening  211  as shown in  FIG. 15 . Steam generated in steam boiler  23  dispenses steam into central steam opening  211  in a depression  210  formed in frame  202 . A substantially rectangular fabric steam pad  221  is mounted on frame  202  by attaching a pair of Velcro strips  222  and  223  to a plurality of cleats  224 ,  225 ,  226  and  227  as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . 
       FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of rectangular steam pocket frame  202  with diffuser  151  installed. Frame  202  has a front edge  212 , a rear edge  213 , a right side edge  214  and a left side edge  215 . A square grid formation  216  covers steam outlet opening  211  and a plurality of vanes or baffles  217  extend from depression  210  toward the four edges of steam pad frame  202 . Grid  216  has a plurality of vents or openings  218  between the grid walls for distributing steam into the spaces between baffles  217  and to fabric steam pad  221  mounted thereon. Diffuser  151  is shown mounted on grid  216 , but may be mounted on one of baffles  217 . Steam pad frame  202  also includes runners  228  at each of the two rear corners thereof to facilitate sliding pad  221  on a surface to be steamed. 
       FIG. 16  is a top plan view of fabric steam pad  221  suitable for use with steam pad frame  202 . Steam fabric pad  221  is configured to attach to frame  202 . Fasteners  203  are fixed to the top side. In the preferred embodiment, fasteners  203  are Velcro-type fasteners. Alternatively, other types of fasteners, such as clips or clamps may be used to secure and hold steam pad  221  in place when used to clean a floor or other surface. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, steam pad  221  is a cloth or towel. It may be formed of any suitable fabric such as cotton or a synthetic fabric, such as polyester or polyolefin fiber. Preferably, fabric of pad  221  is a microfiber. Most preferably, the microfiber is a synthetic polyester microfiber. 
       FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the mop of  FIG. 14  with fabric steam pad  221  mounted on frame  202 . Here, fabric steam pad  221  is attached to steam pad frame  202  by fasteners (not shown). Also, in this example, fabric steam pad  221  is larger than steam pad frame  202  in order to provide increased steam cleaning surface area. 
     Fragrance diffuser  111  may be used with any steam appliance that uses a steam frame for distribution of steam and provides a suitable space for positioning the diffuser between the steam outlet and the fabric pad or steam pocket. The appliance may be a steam brush or a hand-held device of the type shown and described in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/540,957 and Ser. No. 12/617,518, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. 
     Diffuser  151  also may be installed in a flexible steam frame in accordance with the invention. Such frames with flexible steam frames may be used with hand-held appliances. Typically, the flexible steam frames have a handle mounted on a rigid base with a plurality of flexible members extending from the base away from the handle to form a skeleton with an interior space for receiving a fabric steam pocket. Examples of these flexible steam frames are described in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/554,477, the contents of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     One such wedge shaped flexible steam frame  351  is shown in  FIG. 18 . Flexible steam frame  351  includes with a base  352  having a steam outlet  353  and handle  354  mounted to base  352  with a steam outlet hose connected to outlet  353 . A plurality of wires  356  for the wedge shape and have a fabric towel  357  or cloth in the form of a steam pocket positioned or slipped over wires  356  and base  352 . The sole requirement is that the be a space between the steam outlet of the appliance and the fabric steam pocket to receive the diffuser containing the steam emitting composition. 
     Diffuser substrate  112  may be formed from any material the will hold a quantity of fragrance or other composition, such a disinfectant or the like. The fragrance or other composition is formulated to be released only at elevated temperatures generated by steam in the space created by fabric steam pocket  15  mounted on a steam frame or below frame  202  and pad  221 . For example, the temperature in the space within steam pocket  15  have been measured to be between 175° F. to 195° F. (80°-90° C.). Thus, suitable release temperatures in the range of 140° F. to 195° F. (60°-90° C.) would be suitable. Preferable, the release temperature is between 140° F. to 160° F. (60°-70° C.). 
     Typically these compositions contain essential oils or gels and the release temperature can be controlled and made to vary widely. Substrate  112  may be any material, such as a fibrous or porous material capable of absorbing and releasing the fragrance composition. Such porous material may be carbon based or ceramic of the type disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/154,794 published as US 2002/0176949, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One such porous substrate is formed from a polyethylene material that has undergone a series of curing processes resulting in microscopic voids being formed therein. Such materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,255, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     The shape of the porous material used in diffuser  111  is not significant, but only that it can be secured to a steam frame inside the steam towel and that a quantity of fragrance or other composition can be absorbed and released at the temperature caused by the steam generated in the steam appliance and fed into the steam frame. It is preferable that the fragrance will not be released at lower temperatures and only when the steam appliance is generating steam for cleaning. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above product and device without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.