Abstract:
A steam spraying device that includes a handle having a hollow inner cavity and a body including a right shell and a left shell that has an interior void for receiving a container containing liquid. A pump is disposed within the interior void of the body, and a steam generation chamber for producing steam. A spray nozzle for dispensing the steam is disposed on the exterior of the body. The spraying device optionally includes a hood over the spray nozzle for limiting over spray.

Description:
[0001]    The present non-provisional patent application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/761,790, filed on Apr. 16, 2010, and entitled “Spraying Device.” 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a steam spraying device and more generally relates to a steam spraying device that concentrates the steam on a desired plant or weed, resulting in the extermination of the plant or weed without the use of harmful herbicides. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Sprayers have been used for many years to deliver herbicide to a plant or a weed. These sprayers are able to spray large swatches of plants or weeds in order to coat them with the herbicide. Unfortunately, these spraying devices spray large amounts of herbicide that go unused, or worse, contact plants or grasses that are not intended to be sprayed. These spraying devices waste large amounts of herbicides, resulting in an increase in the amount of herbicide that need to be purchased. On the other hand, a herbicide may only be intended for spraying an intended weed, but because of the total inaccuracy of the spraying device, an expensive plant is unintentionally coated with the herbicide, resulting in the death of the plant. Additionally, the herbicide could be harmful to the environment. 
         [0004]    The steam spraying device disclosed in the present invention allows utilizes steam, instead of a herbicide, to exterminate a weed or plant, which is more environmentally friendly. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One embodiment of the present invention includes a handle and a body including a right shell and left shell having an interior void for receiving a container containing liquid. A pump is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell. A steam generation chamber is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell for producing steam, and a spray nozzle is disposed on the body for dispensing steam. 
         [0006]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a switch for activating the pump. 
         [0007]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a hood positioned around the spray nozzle. 
         [0008]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a handle having a hollow inner cavity and at least one battery positioned within the hollow inner cavity of the handle. 
         [0009]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a container mount having inner threads for receiving a correspondingly threaded container and engaging the container mount and the container in a selectively secured arrangement, wherein the container mount further includes a gasket disposed between the container and container mount. 
         [0010]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a power cable for supplying power to the steam spraying device. 
         [0011]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a ready light for indicating when steam has been generated by the steam generation device. 
         [0012]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a handle having a hollow inner cavity, and a body comprising a right shell and a left shell that are selectively secured to each other forming an interior void for receiving a container containing liquid. A pump is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell. A steam generation chamber that is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell for generating steam. A switch is disposed on the handle for activating the pump, and a spray nozzle for dispensing the steam. 
         [0013]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a steam spraying device that includes a switch that is engaged to an electrical wire and the electrical wire is engaged to the power source. 
         [0014]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, steam a spraying device that includes a handle having a hollow inner cavity, and a body comprising a right shell and a left shell that are selectively secured to each other forming an interior void. A container mount is disposed within the interior void for receiving a container of liquid that comprises a gasket and an aspirator valve, wherein the gasket prevents leakage from the container when engaged to the container mount and the aspirator valve permits air to pass into the container. A pump is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell. A motor is disposed within the interior void of the right shell and the left shell for operating the pump, and at least one battery positioned within the hollow inner cavity of the handle for supplying power to the motor. A switch is disposed on the handle for activating and deactivating the supply of power to the motor. A spray nozzle for dispensing the liquid is contained within the container. 
         [0015]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the steam spraying device includes at least one battery that is at least a rechargeable battery positioned within the hollow inner cavity of the handle. 
         [0016]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the steam spraying device includes a power thermostat for regulating the temperature in the steam generation chamber. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The present invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to the various drawings, in which like reference numbers denote like system components, respectively, and in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the steam spraying device; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the steam spraying device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the steam spraying device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the steam spraying device in use; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the hydraulic parts of the steam spraying device; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the exit check valve and entrance check valve of the steam spraying device; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the bottle mount of the steam spraying device; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the electrical components of the steam spraying device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the electrical and hydraulic parts of the steam spraying device; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the steam spraying device; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the steam spraying device of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view the charger and upper portion of the steam spraying device; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of the electrical and hydraulic parts of the steam spraying device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    Referring now specifically to the drawings, an exemplary sprayer is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4  and is shown generally at reference numeral  10 . The sprayer  10  includes a handle  11 , a handle grip  12 , hood  15  with a spray nozzle  18  positioned inside, and a body comprising a right shell  16  and a left shell  17 . The hood  15  is held between the right shell  16  and a left shell  17  forming an interior void therein. A container  13  is positioned within the right shell  16  and left shell  17 . The handle  11  is fastened onto the right shell  16  and left shell  17  and is provided with a handle grip  12  on its upper end. The handle grip  12  is equipped with an injector button  14  to activate the sprayer  10 . 
         [0032]    A power cable  21  is used to provide power to the sprayer  10 . One end of the power cable  21  is disposed on the sprayer  10  and the other end of the power cable  21  may be inserted into an external power source, such as a standard electrical outlet. A lower power cable hook  19  and an upper power cable hook  20  are disposed on the handle  11  for storing the power cable  21 , when the power cable  21  is not in use. A ready light  22  is disposed on the handle and illuminates when the sprayer  10  is hot enough for the generation of steam. Additionally, a power light  23  is disposed on the handle and illuminates when the power cable  21  is inserted into an external power source. 
         [0033]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the hood  15  on the bottom portion of the sprayer  10  serves to protect neighboring plants from the steam spray. It is preferably made from a transparent material, such as plastic or the like. The spray nozzle  18  is positioned within the hood  15  and is mounted on a steam tube  29  which in turn is mounted on the exit side of a steam chamber  32 . 
         [0034]    The right shell  16  and left shell  17  enclose an exit check valve  25 , an entrance check valve  30 , and a bottle mount  28  containing an aspirator valve  24 . The right shell  16  and left shall  17  are selectively secured to one another by screw fasteners  48 . During use, a bottle  13 , containing water for steam generation, is engaged to the bottle mount  28 . Preferably, the bottle  13  contains threads and the bottle mount  28  contains corresponding threads for receiving the threads of the bottle  13  forming a selectively secured arrangement. A gasket  27  may be used to seal the junction between the bottle  13  and bottle mount  28 . 
         [0035]    An injector pump  26  is also enclosed within the right shell  16  and left shell  17 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the injector pump  26  may fit inside the handle  11 , which is a hollow tubular handle  11 . The injector pump  26  is positioned within hollow portion of the lower portion of the handle  11 , and the lower portion of the handle  11  is enclosed by the right shell  16  and left shell  17 . An injector rod  31  having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end may be engaged to the injector pump  26  and acts as a displacement cylinder to inject liquid into the steam chamber  32 . The first end of the injector rod  31  is engaged to the injector button  14 . The injector button  14  is positioned within the upper end of the handle  11 . A handle grip  12  may be disposed on the upper end of the handle  11 , whereby the injector button  14  protrudes through the handle grip  12  through an opening therein. The injector rod  31  is upwardly biased by means of an injector spring  37  that pushes against an injector collar  38 . The injector collar  38  is engaged to the handle grip  12  by way of a screw set  39 . 
         [0036]    A wire harness  36  provides the requisite electrical connections for the steam sprayer  10 . The electrical power to power the steam sprayer  10  is supplied by way of the power cable  21 , which is inserted into a standard power source such as an electrical outlet. As the power cable  21  is inserted into the power source, the power light  23  is illuminated and the ready light  22  on the upper end of the handle  11  is illuminated when the steam chamber  32  is at a suitable temperature for steam generation. The power cable  21  may be conveniently stored on the lower cable hook  19  and upper cable hook  20 , when not in use. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  illustrates the hydraulic parts of the steam sprayer  10 . As mentioned above, water, which is used to generate the steam, is stored in the bottle  13 . When the user depressors the injector button  14 , the injector rod  31  to translates downward and into the injector pump  26 . The water is then injected through the exit check valve  25  and into the steam chamber  32 . The entrance check valve  30  prevents the water from backing up into the bottle  13 . The water is then converted into steam in the steam chamber  32  and exits through the steam tube  29 . Once the steam exits through the steam tube  29 , the steam then progresses through the spray nozzle  18  and onto the weed  34  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). When the user releases the injector button  14 , a vacuum is created in the injector pump  26 , sucking water from the bottle  13  and through the entrance check valve  30  and into the injector pump  26 . When the water is removed from the bottle  13 , a void is created in the bottle  13 , resulting in a partial vacuum. The vacuum pulls air into the bottle  13  through the air entrance  46 . 
         [0038]    A power thermostat  40  may be mounted to the side of the steam chamber  32 , which switches the electric power off to the steam chamber  32  when the temperature has reached a predetermined level. The ready light  22  is illuminated by an indicator thermostat  41  when the temperature in the steam chamber  32  reaches a predetermined temperature sufficient for steam generation. Preferably, the predetermined temperature setting of the indicator thermostat  41  is lower than that of the power thermostat  40 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 6  illustrates the exit check valve  25  and entrance check valve  30  of the present invention. The check valves ( 25 ,  30 ) include a check ball  42 , a check spring  43 , a check housing  44 , and a check plug  45 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  illustrates the bottle mount  28 . The bottle mount  28  includes a check ball  42 , a check spring  43 , and a check seat  46 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 8  illustrates the electrical components of the steam sprayer  10 . The power cable  21  is connected to a standard electrical outlet for supplying power to the device  10 . Once the power is supplied to the device  10 , the ready light  22 , on the upper end of the handle  11 , is illuminated and power is supplied to the heating coil  47  across the power thermostat  40 . When the temperature in the steam chamber  32  has reached a predetermined temperature sufficient to generate steam, the indicator thermostat  41  illuminates the ready light  22 . If the steam chamber  32  temperature rises above a predetermined temperature, the power thermostat  40  ceases the flow of electricity to the heating coil  47 , resulting in reduction in temperature of the heating coil  47 . Once the temperature is lowered below a predetermined temperature, power thermostat  40  allows the flow of electricity and the heating coil  47  temperature rises. 
         [0042]      FIG. 9  illustrates the electrical components and the hydraulic parts of the steam sprayer  10 . During use, the injector button  14  is depressed and water  66  enters through the exit check valve  25  and into the steam chamber  32 . The water  66  is then heated by the heating coil  47 , thus producing steam. The steam progresses through the steam tube  29  and the spray nozzle  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , both the power thermostat  40  and indicator thermostat  41  are closed, indicating the steam chamber  32  is at a temperature sufficient to generate steam, but not at a temperature requiring the supply of power to be ceased to cool the steam chamber  32  to a predetermined temperature. The ready light  22  and the power light  23  are illuminated and indicate the steam sprayer  10  is connected to an electrical outlet. The release of the injector button  14  will suck water out of the bottle  13 , through the entrance check valve  30  and into the injector pump  26 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This illustrated embodiment is a cordless steam sprayer  100  that uses batteries  149  to supply the electrical power to the steam chamber  132 . This embodiment includes a battery door  150  that may be removed to enable the insertion and removal of the batteries  149 . The batteries may also be rechargeable. A charger  152  is provided with a power cord  153 , whereby the power cord  153  is inserted into a standard electrical outlet. The steam sprayer  100  is then inserted into the charger  152  for charging. 
         [0044]    The sprayer  100  includes a handle  111 , a handle grip  112 , hood  115  with a spray nozzle  118  positioned inside, and a body comprising a right shell  116  and a left shell  117 . The hood  115  is held between the right shell  116  and a left shell  117  forming an interior void therein. A container  113  is positioned within the right shell  116  and left shell  117 . The handle  111  is fastened onto the right shell  116  and left shell  117  and is provided with a handle grip  112  on its upper end. The handle grip  112  is equipped with an injector button  114  to activate the sprayer  110 . 
         [0045]    As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the hood  115  on the bottom portion of the sprayer  100  serves to protect neighboring plants from the steam spray. It is preferably made from a transparent material, such as plastic or the like. The spray nozzle  118  is positioned within the hood  115  and is mounted on a steam tube  129  which in turn is mounted on the exit side of a steam chamber  132 . An injector pump  126  is also enclosed within the right shell  116  and left shell  117 , which are held together by screw fasteners  148 . The right shell  116  and left shell  117  also enclose an exit check valve  125 , an entrance check valve  130 , a bottle mount  128 , and an aspirator valve  124 . The injector pump  126  may fit inside the handle  111 , which is a hollow tubular handle  111 . The injector pump  126  is positioned within hollow portion of the lower portion of the handle  111 , and the lower portion of the handle  111  is enclosed by the right shell  116  and left shell  117 . A piston  159  having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end may be engaged to the injector pump  126  and acts as a displacement cylinder to inject liquid into the steam chamber  132 . The first end of the piston  159  is engaged to an injector bar  157  that is attached at its upper end to an injector shaft  163 . The injector button  114  is positioned within the upper end of the handle  111 . A handle grip  112  may be disposed on the upper end of the handle  111 , whereby the injector button  114  protrudes through the handle grip  112  through an opening therein. The injector shaft  163  is upwardly biased by means of an injector spring  137  that pushes against an injector collar  138 . The injector collar  138  is engaged to the handle grip  112  by way of a screw set  139 . 
         [0046]    The power wire  160  and the battery wire  161  provide the requisite electrical connections for the steam sprayer  100  when a switch lever  151  is manually depressed. The depressed switch lever  151  actuates a power switch  156  and completes the electrical circuit between the batteries  149  and the steam chamber  132 . The power light  123  is illuminated when power is supplied, and the ready light  122  is illuminated when the steam chamber  132  reaches a predetermined temperature for generating steam. 
         [0047]      FIG. 12  illustrates the upper portion of the steam sprayer  100 . The handle grip  112  is mounted on top of the handle  111 . A switch lever  151  activates the electricity supplied by the batteries  149  by grabbing the handle  111  and depressing the switch lever  151 . The charger  152  includes a power cord  153  that is inserted into a standard electrical outlet. Two conductive strips  155  are embedded into the charger  152  for making an electrical connection with the steam sprayer  110 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram that demonstrates the interaction between the electrical and hydraulic parts of the steam sprayer  100 . When a user depresses the injector button  114 , the water stored in the bottle  113  progresses through the exit check valve  125  and into the steam chamber  132 , where it is heated in the steam chamber  132 . The steam chamber  132  is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating coil  147 . Steam is produced, which progresses through the steam tube  129  and exits through the spray nozzle  118 . The power thermostat  140  and the indicator thermostat  141  are closed, meaning the steam chamber  132  has reached a predetermined temperature to generate steam, but has not reached a higher predetermined temperature necessitating the reduction in temperature in the steam chamber  132 . The ability of the steam chamber  132  to generate steam is shown by the illuminated ready light  122 . The illuminated power light  123  shows the power switch  156  is closed and that the heating coil  147  is engaged to the batteries  146  over the power wire  160 . A grounded contact  158  is engaged to the conductive parts of the steam sprayer  100  and serves as the second power line to ground. 
         [0049]    Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the following claims.