Patent Abstract:
A combination steam cleaner and steam iron includes a steam generator, a steam cleaner and a steam iron. The steam generator includes first and second boiling elements for boiling water to produce steam. The steam cleaner is attachable to the steam generator to receive the steam, a nozzle that dispenses the steam, and a circuit designed to supply power to the second boiling element when the steam cleaner is attached to the steam generator. The steam iron is attachable to the steam generator, includes an iron heating element for heating the iron, and includes a circuit designed to supply power to the iron heating element, but not to the second boiling element, when the steam iron is attached to the steam generator. The steam generator also includes a steam release valve that supplies the steam and which is controlled by respective switches within the steam cleaner and steam iron. Connections between the steam generator and the steam cleaner and the steam iron are limited to four electrical contacts and the supply of steam.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Steam cleaning appliances require a substantial amount of power to operate properly. Typically, steam cleaning appliances require around 1,800 Watts of power to sufficiently heat stored water to provide the necessary steam for the cleaning appliance. 
     Similarly, steam irons require a substantial amount of power to operate properly. Steam irons generally include two heating elements, one to heat the iron and the other to heat water to produce steam. In the United States, the combined amount of electrical power utilized by both heating elements in a steam iron can not exceed, for practical purposes, 1,800 Watts due to UL regulations limiting voltage levels to 120 volts, with a maximum draw of 15 amps at this voltage level. 
     Given the above-mentioned power constraints, a device that combines a steam cleaner with a steam iron would not be able to draw sufficient power to power the separate heating elements of the combined device. One attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in European Patent No. EP 0 809 728 B1, but the design shown therein is intended for use in Europe, which has 220 voltage levels and power standards suitably high that provide sufficient power to a device that includes both a steam cleaner and a steam iron. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus designed to properly operate under restricted power requirements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a combination steam cleaner and steam iron that includes a steam generator, a steam cleaner and a steam iron is provided. The steam generator includes a boiling device that has first and second boiling elements for boiling water to produce steam, and a first connector for supplying out the steam. The steam cleaner includes a second connector that is attachable to the first connector of the steam generator, and the second connector includes a steam hose that receives the steam output from the steam generator. The steam cleaner also includes a steam nozzle that dispenses the steam and a circuit that is designed to supply power to the second boiling element in the steam generator so as to cause the second boiling element to boil the water (along with the first boiling element) when the steam cleaner is in use. The steam iron includes an iron heating element and a third connector that is attachable to the first connector of the steam generator. The third connector includes a steam hose that receives steam supplied out from the steam generator when the steam iron is attached, and steam iron also includes a circuit designed to supply power to the iron heating element to heat the steam iron when in use, and the circuit is designed to not supply power to the second boiling element so that the second boiling element is not utilized during use of the steam iron. 
     A power cable extends from the steam generator for receiving a source of power, and the steam generator includes a user controllable power switch for selectively supplying power to the first boiling element and a steam release valve for controlling the output of steam from the steam generator through the first connector, and the steam cleaner and the steam iron each includes a respective user controlled on/off steam switch for controlling the steam release valve when the respective device is connected to the steam generator. 
     A power is supplied to the steam release valve independent of whether power is supplied by the power switch to the boiling device so that steam is controlled to be supplied out from the steam generator independent of control of the boiling device. 
     Each of the connectors of the steam generator, steam cleaner and steam iron includes respective first, second, third and fourth electrical contacts. Within the steam generator, the power switch supplies power to the first electrical contract, an electrical connection is provided between the second electrical contract and the second boiling element, the steam release valve&#39;s return line is electrically connected to the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact is electrically connected to the power cable&#39;s return line. Within the steam cleaner, the first and second electrical contacts are shorted together, and the third and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the user controlled on/off steam switch. Within the steam iron, the first and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the iron heating element, the third and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the user controlled on/off steam switch, and the second electrical contact is left open. 
     The first boiling element is an 1,100 Watt heater, the second boiling element is a 600 Watt heater, and the iron heating element is a 600 Watt heater. About 1,700 Watts of power are drawn during use of the steam cleaner and about 1,700 Watts of power are drawn during use of the steam iron. 
     A 120 voltage source of power is supplied to the power cable extending from the steam generator, where the steam generator draws less than 15 amps of power during use of the steam cleaner, and the steam generator and the steam iron collectively draw less than 15 amps of power during use of the steam iron. 
     The steam generator includes a pressostat, a thermostat and a thermofuse serially coupled to the first and second boiling elements. The steam generator also includes a top surface designed for use as a resting surface on which either the steam cleaner or the steam iron may be mounted. The top surface is designed to support a heated steam iron. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus that operates effectively at 15 amps. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus designed to provide a minimum number of contacts between the various interchangeable components. 
     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 the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following detailed description, given by way of example and not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, will best be appreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and parts, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention, shown with the steam iron attached; 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention, shown with the steam cleaner attached; 
     FIG. 3 is an illustration of a split heating element used within the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an electrical circuit of the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an electrical circuit of the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 collectively illustrate the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a steam generating unit  10  with a steam iron  20  resting on top of and physically attached to the steam generating unit  10  via a steam iron hose  22 . FIG. 2 shows a steam cleaner  30  resting on top of and physically attached to the steam generating unit  10  via a steam cleaner hose  32 . 
     Steam generating unit  10  receives electrical power via a power cable  16  that is connected to a suitable power receptacle during operation of the apparatus of the invention. Steam generating unit  10  includes within its housing  14  a main on/off switch (with on/off light)  17  and also includes a split heating element  18 , which is shown in FIG.  3 . As further discussed below, split heating element  18  is utilized to provide steam for use by both the steam iron and the steam cleaner of the invention. As also shown, steam generating unit  10  includes a top surface  19  designed for use as a resting surface for either the steam iron  20  or the steam cleaner  30 . 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, steam iron hose  22  extends from the steam iron  20  and a steam iron plug  24  (also called connector) extends from the other end of the steam iron hose  22 . Steam iron plug  24  is insertable into (i.e., can mate with) a socket  12  disposed within the housing  14  of the steam generating unit  10 . As shown in the exemplary design of FIG. 1, steam iron  20  includes a handle  26 , an on/off switch  28  and an on/off light  29 . During use of the steam iron  20  of the invention, the steam iron plug  24  is inserted into socket  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, steam cleaner hose  32  extends from the steam cleaner  30  and a steam cleaner plug  34  extends from the other end of the steam cleaner hose  32 . Like the steam iron plug  24 , the steam cleaner plug  34  also can be inserted into socket  12  of the steam generator&#39;s housing  14 . The steam cleaner  30  includes an on/off switch  36  and a nozzle  38  through which steam is supplied, as further discussed below. The steam cleaner  30  may also include a hand grip  39  for comfort. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an electrical circuit of the combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus of the invention. During use of the invention, power cable  16  is coupled to an appropriate 120 volt power source (typically rated at 15 Amps) with a return line. The power source is supplied to both the main on/off switch  17  disposed within the steam generating unit&#39;s housing  14 , as well as to a steam release valve  50  disposed within the steam generating unit  10 . The output (also called switched power herein) of the main on/off switch  17  is supplied to boiler element no.  1  (identified as element  18   a ) of heating element  18 . Boiler element no.  1  is an 1,100 Watt heater device and operates to boil water within the steam generating unit  10  during use of either the steam cleaner  30  or the steam iron  20 . Boiler element no.  1 &#39;s return line is serially supplied through three safety devices: a pressostat  52 , a thermostat  54  and a thermofuse  56 . Also, a “steam on” light  58  is coupled across pressostat  52 , and a “no water” light  60  is coupled across thermostat  54 . The respective operations of these various safety devices are well known in the art and thus further description is not provided herein. 
     The switched output from main on/off switch  17  also is supplied to contact A of the steam generator unit&#39;s socket  12 , and contact B of socket  12  is coupled to boiler element no.  2  (identified as element  18   b  in FIG. 4) of heating element  18 . The boiler element no.  2 &#39;s return is serially supplied through the safety devices  52 ,  54  and  56  mentioned above. As further discussed below, power supplied to contact A is routed back through contact B and then to boiler element no.  2  of the split heating elements of heating element  18  when the steam cleaner  30  is in use. When the steam iron is in use, power supplied to contact A is supplied to an iron element heater  21  disposed within the steam iron  20 . 
     Power is supplied to steam release valve  50 , as previously mentioned, and the valve&#39;s return line is coupled to contact C of socket  12 . Contact D of socket  12  is supplied to the return line. Both steam iron  20  and steam cleaner  30  include respective on/off switches  28  and  36 . When either the steam iron or the steam cleaner is connected to steam generating unit  10  (via their respective plugs  24  and  35 ), switching on the on/off switch ( 28  or  36 ) of the attached device (steam iron  20  or steam cleaner  30 ) completes the circuit through steam release valve  50  thus causing steam to be released from the steam generating unit  10  via hose connection E (also called steam output port) within socket  12  through the particular hose attached ( 22  or  32 ) and then to the particular device in use (steam iron  20  or steam cleaner  30 ). As mentioned above, power is supplied directly (i.e., not switched power) to steam release valve  50  and thus the on/off switch (either  28  or  36 ) of the attached device (the steam iron or the steam cleaner) controls steam release valve  50  independent of whether power is being supplied to any of the heater elements. 
     The steam iron  20  contains an electrical circuit as shown in FIG.  4 . Plug  24  includes four electrical contacts A′, B′, C′ and D′ that mate with contacts A, B, C and D, respectively, of the steam generator&#39;s socket  12  when plug  24  and socket  12  are attached to one another. Contact A′ is connected to one of the steam iron element  21 &#39;s electrical contacts with the iron element&#39;s return attached to contact D′. Contacts C′ and D′ are attached through steam on/off switch  28  of the steam iron. Contact B′ is left open. The steam iron hose  22  terminates at steam hose connector E′ (also called steam input port) within the steam iron&#39;s plug  24 . When the steam iron is attached to the steam generator, steam iron hose  22  receives the output of steam release valve  50  via hose connector E (within socket  12 ) and hose connector E′ (within plug  24 ). 
     The steam cleaner  30  also contains an electrical circuit as shown in FIG.  4 . Plug  34  includes four electrical contacts A″, B″, C″ and D″ that mate with contacts A, B, C and D, respectively, of the steam generator&#39;s socket  12  when plug  34  and socket  12  are attached to one another. Contacts A″ and B″ are electrically shorted. Contacts C″ and D″ are attached through steam on/off switch  36  of the steam cleaner. The steam cleaner hose  32  terminates at steam hose connector E″ (also called steam input port) within the steam cleaner&#39;s plug  34 . Similar to the steam iron, when the steam cleaner is attached to the steam generator, steam cleaner hose  32  receives the output of steam release valve  50  via hose connector E (within socket  12 ) and hose connector E″ (within plug  34 ). 
     The operation of the invention when the steam iron is attached to the steam generating unit will now be described. The steam iron&#39;s plug  24  is first attached to the steam generator&#39;s socket  12 , such as previously mentioned, so that the output of steam release valve  50  is supplied to steam iron hose  22 , the switched power output from main on/off switch  17  is supplied to iron element heater  21  within the steam iron  20 , and steam release valve  50  is controlled by steam on/off switch  28  also within the steam iron  20 . The steam generator  10  is filled with water in a manner well known in the art, and the main on/off switch  17  is manually set to “on” to power both boiler element no.  1  (element  18   a ) within the steam generator  10  and to power iron element heater  21  within the steam iron  20 . Collectively, the steam generator  10  and the steam iron  20  draw less than 15 amps of power (120 volts). During this time, steam on/off switch  28  on the steam iron is kept off. Boiler element no.  1  causes the water within the steam generator to boil to produce steam, and iron element heater  21  heats the bottom surface of the steam iron  20 . Upon sufficient heating of steam iron  20  by iron element heater  21 , ironing is carried out in a manner well known in the art. Likewise, steam produced within steam generator  10  is supplied through the steam iron upon switching steam on/off switch  28  to its on position (or depression of a button or other suitable on/off device). As previously mentioned, during use of steam iron  20 , the steam iron may be conveniently placed on the top surface  19  of the steam generator. Upon completion of steam ironing, both main on/off switch  17  and steam on/off switch  28  are set to “off” and plug  24  is removed from the steam generator&#39;s socket  12 . 
     To utilize the steam cleaner  30 , the steam cleaner&#39;s plug  34  is attached to socket  12  of the steam generator. As previously mentioned, such connection provides the switched power (output from main on/off switch  17 ) to boiler element no.  2  (element  18   b ), the output of steam release valve  50  is supplied to steam cleaner hose  32 , and steam release valve  50  is controlled by steam on/off switch  36  within the steam cleaner  30 . The steam generator  10  is filled with water and the main on/off switch  17  is set to on to power both boiler element no.  1  (element  18   a ) and boiler element no.  2  (element  18   b ) within the steam generator  10  (which collectively draw less than 15 Amps of power (120 volts)). Steam on/off switch  36  on the steam cleaner is initially kept off. Now, both boiler elements nos.  1  and  2  boil the water within the steam generator to produce steam. Steam cleaning then is achieved by turning steam on/off switch  36  on to supply the steam through the steam cleaner hose  32  and out through nozzle  38 . Upon completion, both switches  17  and  36  are turned off and the connectors are detached. 
     FIG. 5 shows a design within the scope of the invention that varies from the design shown in FIG. 4 primarily by its reversal of the power and return lines. 
     As can be appreciated from the foregoing discussion and designs shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the invention, the herein-described combination steam cleaner and steam iron properly functions within the confines of a 1,800 watts (120 volt; 15 amps) source of power. The inventive design further advantageously minimizes the size and number of contacts required for the various plugs and sockets of the combination&#39;s components. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described in conjunction with various embodiments thereof, it will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the invention has been described as including a housing socket and plugs for the steam cleaner and steam iron. Of course, the particular style of connector used for the steam generator, steam cleaner and steam iron may be different from that discussed herein. 
     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 construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or 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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1