Abstract:
A portable, modular garment steamer includes a carriage and steamer body detachably mounted thereon. The steam body includes a water tank, a reservoir and a steam chamber having a water heating element. A steam hose connected to the steam chamber permits a user to control the direction of steam exiting the steamer. The carriage includes wheels making the assembly movable. In addition the steamer body includes a carrying strap providing for portability when separated from the carriage. On/off switches as well as a thermostat and/or a timer permit the control and selective operation of a water heating element to control the generation of steam.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to a device for treating fabric articles, including garments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a garment steamer.  
         [0002]     There is a great need for portable, efficient devices to steam garments. It is well-known to use a steaming iron when ironing clothes and other garments. Non-iron devices called “steamers” have also been used to remove wrinkles and creases from clothes on a hanger or hanging from a rack by jetting steam to the clothes. These steamers do not have an ironing function because they lack the hot pressing plate found on irons. Both steam irons and steamers have been used for applying steam to remove creases and crinkles from hanging garments and other cloth materials. Steam has also been used in the cleaning of a variety of objects such as curtains, couches, furniture covers (e.g., couch covers), etc.  
         [0003]     Many different types of irons and steam devices have been employed to iron and steam objects such as clothing. However, these steamers and steaming irons have their limitations, as described above and as follows. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,935 discloses an appliance for treating a garment with steamer and iron. However, this appliance is a relatively large, bulky, multi-part device that requires separate steamer and iron attachments that share a common water supply at a base to which the steamer and iron are attached. This system is not practical for situations that require portability.  
         [0004]     While a device such as the one described above may provide means of steaming garments and the like, such a device can always be improved to provide better portability and flexibility.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need for a garment steamer device that is portable and useful in a variety of applications. There is a further need for a garment steamer device that is modular. There is an additional need for a modular steamer device that is relatively compact in size and inexpensive. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages.  
         [0006]     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the drawings which follow, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention resides in a portable, modular garment steamer having a carriage and a steamer body separable from the carriage. The steamer body is detachably mounted to the carriage to allow for increased portability of the steamer. The steamer body includes a water tank, a reservoir and a steam chamber. A steam hose is connected to the steam chamber.  
         [0008]     The water tank includes a cap with a self-closing flow valve. The reservoir includes a platform configured for mated engagement with the flow valve such that the flow valve is opened when the water tank is inserted into the reservoir. A tube connects the reservoir to the steam chamber. A drain plug connected to the tube permits easy draining of the steamer.  
         [0009]     The steam chamber includes a water heating element for converting the water into steam. The water heating element and a first on/off switch are electrically and operationally connected by a power cord or similar structure. In addition, a thermostat may be electrically and operationally connected to the first on/off switch. A timer may also be associated with the first on/off switch. A second on/off switch that is electrically and operationally connected to the heating element may be included. When the second on/off switch is included, the first on/off switch may be electrically and operationally connected only to the power cord.  
         [0010]     The power cord may be modular and detachable from the steamer body or it may be permanently attached and retractable into a cavity in the steamer body. The steamer body may include a detachable carrying strap. The carriage may include a garment rod and bumper caps over respective wheels.  
         [0011]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following drawings are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as to be claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an orthogonal view of a garment steamer embodying the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an orthogonal view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1  with the steamer removed from the truck;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1  with the steamer removed from the truck;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of the steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the carriage of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a rear elevational view of the carriage of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a rear elevational view of the steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a rear elevational view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a partially exploded front elevational view of the carriage of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the garment steamer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the carriage of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 18  is a bottom plan view of the carriage of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     The present invention is useful in a variety of applications that require flexibility, portability and modularity. This device is usable in any situation where an object needs to be steamed. These situations can occur anywhere there is a need to steam an object, such as in the home, in a hotel, at the office, or the like. The present invention is relatively compact in size and inexpensive.  
         [0032]     As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention resides in a garment steamer. With reference to  FIGS. 1-18 , a garment steamer device  20  includes a steamer  22  and a four-wheel truck carriage  24  upon which the steamer  22  rests. The garment steamer  22  can be placed upon the carriage  24  for portability or removed from the carriage  24  and shoulder-carried for convenience. In a first configuration, the steamer  22  is operably and detachably mounted only to the carriage  24  ( FIGS. 1, 3 ,  6 ,  9 ,  12  and  16 ), and in a second configuration the steamer  22  is detached from the carriage  24  ( FIGS. 2, 4 , and  5 ).  
         [0033]     The steamer  22  includes a housing  26  for electrical and mechanical parts. The steamer  22  includes a modular water tank  28  for holding a certain amount of water; the tank  28  holding the water that is to be converted into steam. The water tank  28  includes a grip indent  30  on both sides of the tank  28  for assisting a user in grasping the tank  26  for engagement with or removal from the housing  26  of the steamer  22 . The water tank  28  is made from a semi-transparent or clear plastic so that the level of water within the tank  28  may be seen by a user. The housing  26  and tank  28  are shaped so as to present a continuous appearance when mated.  
         [0034]     The tank  28  includes a cap  31  with a flow valve  32  designed so as to open when the tank  28  is mated to the housing  26  and close when the tank  28  is removed from the housing  26 . When the tank  28  is aligned for mating to the housing  26 , the valve  32  is facing downwards in a closed position. When the tank  28  is mated to the housing  28 , one portion  34  of the valve  32  abuts against a platform  36  within the housing  26  that opens the valve  32  as the valve  32  comes into contact with the platform  36 . When closed, another portion  38  of the valve  32  seals an aperture  40  of the tank  28 .  
         [0035]     The platform  36  is located in a reservoir  42  within the steamer  22 . Water within the reservoir  42  drains downward along a tube  44  that leads to a lateral tube  46 . The lateral tube  46  connects to a steam chamber  48  within the housing  26 . The tube  44  also leads to a drain plug  50  located at the bottom of the steamer  22 . The drain plug  50  is hinged so as to allow a user to open the drain plug  50  in order to drain the reservoir  42  and water from the water tank  28  when the tank  28  is mated to the housing  26 .  
         [0036]     A gasket  52  seals the top open aperture  54  of the reservoir  42  when the tank  28  is mated to the steamer  22 , forming a press-fit seal.  
         [0037]     The steam chamber  48  is surrounded by a heat shield  55  within the housing  26 . The steam chamber  48  holds a certain amount of water and includes a heater  56  which heats the water in the chamber  48  in order to produce steam from the water. The heater  56  may be in the form of at least one metallic element which heats the water in the chamber  48  when electric current is applied to the metallic element. The metallic element may be made from any highly conductive metal, such as copper. The steam produced by the heater  56  is passed into a steam passage  58  within the steamer  22  and out of the steamer  22  through a steam hose  60 . The steam hose  60  is connected to the steamer  22  by a hose lock-nut  62  and a lock nut cover  64 . Various kinds of attachments for steaming garments may be connected at the free end of the hose  60 .  
         [0038]     The steamer  22  includes an expandable power cord  66  with a conventional plug (not shown) that plugs into a conventional wall electrical socket. Power from the power cord  66  supplies the power to the electrical system of the steamer  22  and the power cord  66  is electrically and operationally connected to an on/off switch  68  on the steamer  22  that regulates the flow of electrical power through the device  20 . The on/off switch  68  is electrically and operationally connected through a plurality of electrical cables  70  to the heater  56 . The on/off switch  68  is also electrically and operationally connected to a thermostat  72 . The thermostat  72  automatically cuts power through the electrical system if the temperature within the steam chamber  48  gets too high. The on/off switch  68  also activates/deactivates emission of steam from the steamer  22 . In the alternative, the power and steaming functions could be controlled by separate switches. One end of the power cord  66  is permanently attached to the steamer  22 . In the alternative, the power cord  66  may be modular so as to be attachable/detachable to the steamer  22 . In another alternative, the power cord  66  may be retractable and stored within a cavity (not shown) in the housing  26  when the steamer  22  is not in use. In the alternative, a timer may be associated with the on/off switch  68  to provide an automatic power shut-off.  
         [0039]     The steamer  22  includes a carrying strap  74  with strap lock  76  for adjusting the length of the strap  74 . The carrying strap  74  is attachable to and removable from the steamer  22 . The steamer  22  further includes a plurality of rubber feet  78  on the bottom of the steamer  22  which allow the steamer  22  to rest upon a surface without the housing  26  touching the surface.  
         [0040]     The steamer  22  also includes a truck carriage release mechanism  80  to disengage the steamer  22  from the carriage  24  when the steamer  22  and carriage  24  are mated. The release mechanism  80  includes a release button  82  located near the bottom rear of the steamer  22 .  
         [0041]     The carriage  24  includes an expandable garment rod  84  that is telescopically expandable between a recessed position and an expanded position. The garment rod  84  is set in a desired amount of extension by the user and then secured into position using a garment rod fastening device  86  located at the base of the garment rod  84 . The fastening device  86  is turned in one direction to hold the rod  84  in a desired amount of expansion and turned in the opposite direction to loosen the hold on the rod  84  so that the rod  84  may be adjusted to a lesser or greater length.  
         [0042]     The carriage  24  includes four wheels  88  or casters located at the corners of the carriage  24 . A bumper cap  90  is located above and around each of the wheels  88  in order to protect furniture that the carriage  24  may pass near. The bumper cap  90  is designed with at least two press-fit mechanisms  92  designed to pass through matching apertures  94  in the carriage  24  so that the press-fit mechanisms  92  snap-in place and hold the bumper cap  90  in position. A shank  96  of each wheel  88  passes through an aperture  98  at a particular corner of the carriage  24 . The shank  96  is designed so as to press-fit into a mating aperture  100  on the bumper cap  90 .  
         [0043]     The carriage  24  includes a channel  102  for the power cord  66  to pass along in order to prevent the cord  66  from getting tangled. The carriage  24  further includes an aperture  104  located under and aligned with the drain plug  50  of the steamer  22 .  
         [0044]     The carriage  24  includes a recess  106  located on a top surface of the carriage  24  that forms an outline of the steamer  22 , shaped and sized so as to receive the steamer  22  when mated to the carriage  24 . The carriage  24  further includes first and second posts  108 ,  118  for engaging the release mechanism  80  of the steamer  22  when is mated to the carriage  24 .  
         [0045]     The carriage  24  may be made of molded plastic or aluminum.  
         [0046]     The steamer  22  engages the carriage  24  with a slide-in lock as the steamer  22  and carriage  24  may be operably and detachably mounted to each other. The steamer  22  and carriage  24  are slidingly engaged from a first direction at the posts  108 ,  110 . A post  112  extending from a recess  114  within the bottom of the steamer  22  passes through a bore  115  in post  108 . Concurrently, as the steamer  22  is lowered towards the recess  106  of the carriage  24 , the post  110  passes into another recess  118  of the steamer  22  where the post  110  engages the release mechanism  80  of the steamer  22 . The post  110  engages a post  120  extending into the recess  118 . The post  120  is connected on one end to a spring  122  located within the steamer  22 . As the post  120  of the steamer  22  engages the post  110  of the truck, pressure is exerted against the spring  122  which itself exerts pressure against the post  120  which, in turn, presses against the post  110  until the post  120  passes into a bore  124  within the post  110 . The spring  122  ‘holds’ the post  120  in position until a user presses the release button  82 . A spring  126  aligned with the post  120  is connected to the release button  82 . When the release button  82  is pressed, the spring  126  contacts the post  120  and exerts sufficient pressure against the post  120  so as to push the post  120  sufficiently through the bore  124  of post  110  so as to allow the post  120  to be disengaged from the post  110  of the carriage  24 . When both posts  112 ,  120  of the steamer  22  engage the posts  108 ,  110  of the carriage  24 , the steamer  22  is mated to the carriage  24 .  
         [0047]     In use, a user may prepare a garment for wear by eliminating wrinkles and other creases from the garment by steaming the garment. The user, holding the tank  28  upside down, fills the tank  28  of the steamer  22  with water by pouring water through the aperture  40  of the tank  28 . When the tank  28  is upside down, the flow valve  32  is open so that water can enter the tank  28 . Once the tank  28  is filled to a desired level, the user then turns the tank  28  over which closes the valve  32 . The user attaches the tank  28  to the steamer  22  by inserting the tank  28 , cap  31  facing downward, into a recess  128  of the steamer  22  above the reservoir  42 . The tank  28  press-fit seals against the gasket  52  that surrounds the top open aperture  54  of the reservoir  42  when the tank  28  is mated to the steamer  22 . The platform  36  presses against the valve  32 , opening the valve  32  and allowing water to flow into the reservoir  42  and into the steam chamber  48 . The user may then connect the power cord  66  of the steamer  22  to an electrical source and activate the on/off switch  68  so that the water may be converted into steam.  
         [0048]     The user then may adjust the height of the garment rod  84 , place a garment upon the garment rod  84 , and then proceed to steam the garment. In the alternative, the garment rod  84  may include an arm connected to the rod  84  and pivoted from alignment parallel to the rod  84  to approximately perpendicular to the rod  84  so that a user may drape a garment over the arm for steaming.  
         [0049]     The above-described embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects.