Abstract:
A hand held appliance for use in applying steam to a garment or other item made of fabric includes a pump, a boiler and a switch. Power is applied through the switch to the pump. The pump pumps water from the water tank to the boiler. The water is converted to steam in the boiler and is expelled from the appliance through a set of nozzles. The appliance may include optional attachments for performing other operations on garments or fabric, for example, applying pressure, brushing, scrubbing or lint removal.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/347,178, filed on Jan. 9, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a hand held appliance for the care of garments and other items made of fabric. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hand held appliance for applying steam and/or heat to garments, fabrics and the like. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Portable hand held devices for applying steam are particularly useful in removing wrinkles and improving the appearance of hanging garments, draperies, upholstery, and other items made of fabric. When traveling, these devices may be especially effective for freshening clothes that have been packed in luggage. They are also useful for improving the appearance of hanging draperies without removing them, straightening and flattening upholstery, opening seams, and, generally, for smoothing fabric during sewing operations. In all of these applications, it is not only important to apply steam to the fabric, but to do so in a safe and easy manner. It is also important to be able to apply a desired amount of steam to a particular portion of the fabric being treated. 
   There are several factors that make the steaming operation difficult. An appliance that is large may occupy a significant amount of space rendering it unsuitable for use when traveling. An appliance that is bulky and heavy may be difficult to manipulate and thus inhibit applying the proper amount of steam for the time required to remove wrinkles. In addition, a bulky appliance may make it difficult to operate the controls. An appliance that does not accommodate different voltages encountered in different countries may be inconvenient. Also, the construction of the appliance may make filling with water difficult and may require a user to carry the entire appliance to a source of water. Certain types of fabric may also require an additional operation during the steaming operation such as the application of pressure over an area, brushing, or scrubbing. 
   Therefore, there exists a need for a hand-held garment steamer that is relatively lightweight, convenient to maneuver and operate, including filling the water tank thereof, and operable from multiple voltage sources. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand-held steamer for applying steam to an article of fabric construction. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide such a steamer that is relatively lightweight and easy to hold. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a steamer that applies steam and/or heat in a consistent manner. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a steamer that uses different voltages that may be found in various countries. 
   It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a steamer having a detachable reservoir that is easily filled. 
   It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a steamer with at least one attachment for performing operations on an item while steaming. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a hand held appliance for use in applying steam to a garment or other article preferably made of fabric. Advantageously, the garment steamer of the present invention preferably is lightweight, comfortably held in the hand of a user, and suitably sized for easy, convenient transport such as traveling. The garment steamer of the present invention preferably includes functionality to provide a consistent application of steam and heat, either alone or in combination with the other, to an article of fabric construction and accommodates multiple voltage sources. A detachable reservoir is provided to facilitate easy filling thereof. The present invention preferably includes one or more attachments for performing various fabric treatment operations, such as but not limited to brushing, combing, flattening, and scrubbing fabric, and removing lint therefrom. 
   The steamer of the present application includes a pump, a steam generator or boiler, a steam discharge switch, and a removable water tank or reservoir. Power is selectively applied through a steam discharge switch to the pump. The pump pumps water from the reservoir to the boiler. The water is converted to steam in the boiler. The steam is discharged from the steamer through a number of openings disposed in an outer surface of a head portion of the steamer. The steamer preferably has a soleplate that is heated for applying heat to an article of fabric. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a garment steamer accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the appliance of  FIG. 1 , including an attachment attached thereto in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a garment steamer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the appliance of  FIG. 3  illustrating, inter alia, the soleplate thereof. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the figures and, in particular,  FIG. 1 , there is shown a hand held garment steamer generally represented by reference numeral  105 . 
   Steamer  105  has a housing  110  that houses, and preferably encloses, a boiler  115  and a pump  120 . Housing  110  has a nozzle  150  at a head portion end thereof and a handle connected to and extending from the head portion. A steam discharge switch  125  is mounted in or to housing  110  with its actuator  130  protruding through an opening in housing  110 . 
   A first water pipe  135  is provided to convey water from water tank or reservoir  145  to a pump  120 . A second water pipe  140  conveys water from pump  120  to a boiler  115 . In boiler  115 , the water is heated from a liquid state to steam. It should be appreciated that the boiler may be varied to include any type of steam generator compatible with the other aspects of the present invention. 
   The steam generated in boiler  115  is discharged (i.e., expelled) from at least one, and preferably a number of, nozzles  150  located on at least one outer surface of the head portion of steamer  105 . 
   Power for steamer  105  is derived from an external power source (not shown) through an electrical cable  155 . Cable  155  provides an electrical connection from the external power source to pump  120 , boiler  115 , and other components of steamer  105  requiring electrical energy. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that steamer  105  may be powered by an internal power source such as a battery. 
   Reservoir  145  is preferably detachable (i.e., removable) from housing  110 . In a preferred embodiment, reservoir  145  is connected to steamer  105  at the head portion end of the steamer. Reservoir  145  is selectively released by actuation of a reservoir release button  160 . 
   Upon detachment from housing  110 , reservoir  145  may be conveniently filled with a liquid such as water. Reservoir  145  may be filled through a fill port  165  that optionally includes valving to prevent spillage while water tank  145  is disengaged from housing  110 . Water tank  145  may be filled through another port or cap, an example of which is shown as filler cap  170 . 
   In an aspect of the present invention, reservoir  145  is preferably at least partially translucent to facilitate a visual determination of the amount of water contained present in reservoir  145 . 
   Once filled, water tank can be connected to housing  110  so that port  165  engages with first water pipe  135 . First water pipe  135  provides a conduit for liquid transport between reservoir  145  and pump  120 . Pump  120  is an electrical pump and can be a rotary vane, peristaltic, or any other type of pump suitable for pumping liquid according to the teachings of the present invention. 
   In an aspect of the present invention, pump  120  may operate at a fixed voltage or over a number of different voltages. For instance, pump  120  may operate only at 115 VAC or a multitude of voltages common to different countries. Preferably, the accommodated voltages have a range about 100 VAC to about 230 VAC. 
   Electrical cable  155  provides electrical power to housing  110  and, in particular, to pump  120  through a steam discharge switch  125 . Cable  155  may also have at least one safety device  185  in the form of a fuse, circuit breaker, thermal cut-off, or other safety device appropriate for use in the steamer of the present invention. 
   Upon actuation, steam discharge switch  125  serves to complete an electrical circuit including pump  120  and cable  155 , either directly or indirectly, for example by use of a relay. Thus, steam discharge switch  125  operates to cause the application of electrical power to pump  120 . 
   In another aspect of the present invention, steam discharge switch  125  may operate to cause a variable amount of power to be applied to pump  120  depending upon the amount of actuation by a user. In one aspect, steam discharge switch  125  may be locked or fixed in position to cause a constant amount of electrical power to be applied to pump  120  without further actuation by a user. 
   Second water pipe  140  provides a conduit from pump  120  to the steam generator (e.g., boiler  115 ). Upon application of power from steam discharge switch  125 , pump  120  pumps (i.e., draws) water from reservoir  145  through first water pipe  135  and pumps water through second water pipe  140  to boiler  115 . 
   Cable  155  also provides electrical power to boiler  115 . In an aspect hereof, boiler  115  receives electrical power so long as cable  155  is plugged into a suitable source of electrical power. In another aspect hereof, boiler  115  receives electrical power through steam discharge switch  125 , and thus may receive variable or constant power according to the configuration of switch  125 . 
   Boiler  115  uses the electrical power to produce heat for converting the water pumped from reservoir  145  to steam. Boiler  115  may be a “flash” boiler, capable of producing steam almost instantaneously upon the introduction of water from second water pipe  140 . Boiler  115  can include a safety device in the form of a thermal cut-off  180  (or any other applicable safety device) to prevent overheating of the boiler. 
   In a manner similar to pump  120 , boiler  115  may operate at a fixed voltage (e.g., 115 VAC) or over a number of different voltages that may be found in different countries (e.g., a range of about 100 VAC to about 230 VAC). 
   In another aspect of the present invention, a number of attachments may be mounted onto the steamer. The attachments are preferably connected to the head portion of the steamer and cover, at least partially, a surface face area of the head portion. The attachments aid in the steaming and/or fabric treatment processes being performed on a particular article of fabric. 
     FIG. 2  shows an attachment including brush attachment  190  and a lint remover attachment  195 . Brush attachment  190  and lint removing attachment  195  may be used individually, together, or in any combination with the steaming capability of the steamer  105 . It should be appreciated that other attachments, such as a comb, fabric pill remover, etc. are within the scope, and thus covered by the present invention. 
     FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the steamer of the present invention and is generally represented by the reference numeral  205 . Although the configuration of housing  220  differs from the steamer of  FIG. 1 , both steamer  205  and housing  220  preferably function in a manner similar to as steamer  105  and housing  110 , respectively, of  FIG. 1 . Boiler  115  of appliance  205  can be regulated by a thermostatic device  210  to control production of steam at a particular range of temperature and delivery rate. A temperature dial  215  may be connected to thermostatic device  210  for selection of a particular steam temperature. 
     FIG. 4  shows an attachment  405  with a brush attachment  410  and lint remover attachment  415 , both preferably incorporated into a single attachment  405 . 
   Appliance  205  has a soleplate  420  that facilitates applying pressure and heat to the article of fabric being treated with the steamer of the present invention. Soleplate  420  has nozzles  150  disposed therein. It should be appreciated that soleplate  420  can be made of metal or any other suitable, preferably heat conductive, material for providing an even heat distribution to an article of fabric. 
   It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the particular garment steamer functions and other aspects of the teachings herein are but examples of the present invention. Thus, they do not limit the scope or variety of applications that the present invention may be suitably implemented. Thus, it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of a present implementation of the teachings herein. Various alternatives and modification may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the disclosure herein.