Steamer

Abstract

To provide a steamer which varies a steam amount with cord / cordless in accordance with a use purpose.SOLUTION: A steamer includes: a plug unit 2 connected to a steamer body; an electromagnetic pump for supplying liquid of a tank assembly to a vaporization chamber; and a micro computer 87 for performing energization control on the electromagnetic pump. By the micro computer 87 varying an amount of supply from the electromagnetic pump 24 according to the setting, an amount of steam jetting from a steam hole is varied. The setting includes temperature setting having three stages of high, middle and low, and setting of a steam type having three stages of steam, shower and shot. The plug unit 2 can be attached to / detached from the steamer body, and by presence / absence of the plug unit 2 to the steamer body, the amount of steam jetting from the steam hole is varied according to the same setting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steamer that ejects steam onto textile products such as clothing to remove wrinkles. [Background technology]

[0002] There have been many cordless irons of this type in the past, and the applicant of this application, for example, has proposed the idea of ​​incorporating an electromagnetic pump driven by a DC motor into a steam iron instead of the conventional mechanical steam generation mechanism (Patent Document 1), and has already obtained a patent for this idea. In this case, by repeatedly turning on and off the power to the DC motor to drive the electromagnetic pump, it becomes possible to smoothly eject steam from the ejection part regardless of the internal pressure of the vaporization chamber or in whatever position the iron body is used in. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6534886 specification Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technology of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is premised on a steam iron in which commercial power is constantly supplied to the iron body through a cord with a power plug. Therefore, when the iron body is detached from the stand during use and in a cordless state in which the power supply to the iron body is cut off, the electromagnetic pump built into the iron body cannot be operated and steam cannot be ejected from the ejection part.

[0005] To address this issue, the applicant has proposed a steamer equipped with a secondary battery to operate the electromagnetic pump, but in a steamer with a 2-way function of cordless and corded states, the amount of steam emitted was the same in both the cordless and corded states. However, the cordless state is designed to maintain the duration while suppressing the amount of steam, while the corded state is designed to more efficiently emit a large amount of steam, so these are considered to be mutually exclusive performances, and it was necessary to sacrifice either the duration or the amount of steam as a specification.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a steamer that can adjust the amount of steam to suit the purpose of use, whether corded or cordless. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The steamer of the present invention comprises a main body, a tank for storing liquid therein, a base provided below the tank and equipped with a heating means, an evaporation chamber heated by the heating means to evaporate the liquid from the tank, an ejection section for ejecting the steam evaporated in the evaporation chamber to the outside, a plug mechanism having a power cord for supplying electricity and connected to the main body, a pump for supplying the liquid from the tank to the evaporation chamber, and a control section for controlling the supply of electricity to the pump, and the control section varies the amount of steam ejected from the ejection section by varying the amount of the supply from the pump according to the setting, the setting including three temperature settings and three steam type settings, the plug mechanism is detachable from the main body, and the amount of steam according to the same setting is varied depending on whether or not the plug mechanism is connected to the main body. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the amount of steam can be automatically set to vary between corded and cordless depending on the purpose of use.

[0009] According to the present invention, the control unit drives the liquid supply unit, so that a desired amount of steam can be more reliably and smoothly ejected from the ejection unit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the steamer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the steamer from the right rear. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is an oblique view of the steamer body from the right rear, showing the use with the cord attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an oblique view of the steamer body from the right rear, showing the cordless use state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the steamer body. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the steamer body as viewed from the front right side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the plug unit, showing the internal structure of the power supply plug. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the plug unit attached to the stand as viewed from the front right side. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the electrical connection configuration of the steamer. [Figure 10] Same as above, (A) a table showing the amount of steam emitted at each temperature setting and each steam setting when the steamer body is in a cordless state, and (A) a table showing the amount of steam emitted at each temperature setting and each steam setting when the steamer body is in a corded state. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the features of the steamer body. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of electrical connections of a steamer in a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the steamer of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, common parts are designated by common reference numerals throughout the drawings. EXAMPLES

[0012] 1 to 11 show a steamer in the first embodiment of the present invention. The overall configuration will be described in each of these figures. The steamer of this embodiment mainly comprises a steamer body 1 that heats and vaporizes liquid water and ejects steam to the outside, a plug unit 2 that supplies commercial power to the steamer body 1 from a household outlet (not shown), and a stand 3 that is used while placed on a floor surface S and on which the steamer body 1 is detachably placed. The plug unit 2 is detachably configured to be attached to both the steamer body 1 and the stand 3.

[0013] The steamer main body 1 has a concave power receiving section 5 for receiving electric power provided at the rear, and a metal base 7 with a heater 6 embedded therein as a heating means at the bottom. The base 7 has a base plate 9 as a hanging surface member provided on the bottom surface of a base substrate 8 made of a die-cast molded product, and is fixed in close contact with the base substrate 8 by a fastening member 10 fixed to the base plate 9. Inside the base 7, a steam chamber, i.e., an evaporation chamber 11, is formed near the heater 6, and a plurality of steam holes 12 communicating with the evaporation chamber 11 are formed as openings in the base plate 9 forming the lower surface of the base 7. The base 7 also has a steam cover 13 as a metal plate-shaped upper cover, and the upper surface of the evaporation chamber 11 is formed by the steam cover 13 attached and fixed to the base substrate 8. The evaporation chamber 11 may not be formed in the base 7 but may be a separate body. In that case, the heater 6 or another heating means is provided to heat and evaporate the water that becomes liquid in the evaporation chamber 11.

[0014] Reference numeral 15 denotes a resin cover provided so as to cover the upper and side portions of the base 7, and reference numeral 16 denotes a handle fixed to the top of the cover 15 and formed in a generally U-shape with an open rear end when viewed from the side. A tank assembly 17 corresponding to a tank for storing liquid is provided from the front to the rear inside the handle 16. The tank assembly 17 is composed of a tank cover 18 and a tank base 19, both of which are made of resin, and a liquid storage space 20 is formed inside the tank assembly 17 by attaching and fixing the tank base 19 so as to cover the bottom opening of the tank cover 18.

[0015] Reference numeral 21 denotes a water inlet provided at the front of the tank assembly 17 and directly connected to the storage space 20. A water inlet lid 22 that allows the water inlet 21 to be manually opened and closed is provided at the front of the handle 16 opposite the water inlet 21, and the water inlet lid 22 is raised forward to open the water inlet 21, allowing liquid water to be stored in the tank assembly 17 or unnecessary water in the tank assembly 17 to be discarded. Inside the steamer body 1, an electromagnetic pump 24 is provided in an upper storage space 23 separated from the storage space 20 by a vertical wall 18A formed at the rear of the tank cover 18, for supplying water stored in the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11 heated by the heater 6. The electromagnetic pump 24 is connected to a suction pipe 25 communicating with the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 and a discharge pipe 26 communicating with the vaporization chamber 11, and the suction pipe 25 is liquid-tightly connected to a connecting pipe 27 formed in the vertical wall 18A and extends from the upper storage space 23 of the electromagnetic pump 24 to the water storage space 20. As a result, the electromagnetic pump 24 and the tank assembly 17 are liquid-tightly connected, and no matter what position the steamer body 1 is used in, the water stored in the storage space 20 does not enter the space inside the rear end of the handle 16 in which the electromagnetic pump 24 is disposed, and the water sucked into the electromagnetic pump 24 through the suction pipe 25 from the storage space 20 during operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 can be sent to the vaporization chamber 11 through the discharge pipe 26. In addition, in the steamer body 1 of this embodiment, the tank assembly 17 and the upper storage space 23 are provided from the front to the rear inside the handle 16, and the tank assembly 17 and the upper storage space 23 completely cover the upper part of the lower storage space 54 described later. Therefore, the water or air in the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 and the air in the upper storage space 23 act as a layer that blocks heat from the base 7, and as described later, a rise in temperature of the parts arranged inside the handle 16, such as the electromagnetic pump 24 and the various parts mounted on the board 37, can be prevented.

[0016] The handle 16 is composed of two parts, a handle base 28 and a handle cover 29, both made of resin, and is located at the top of the steamer body 1 and has a rod-shaped grip 31 extending from the front to the rear. The grip 31 has a cavity 33 between it and the abdomen 32 of the steamer body 1, and an opening 34 communicating with the cavity 33 is formed at the rear of the grip 31 so that the hand can be inserted into the cavity 33 from the rear of the steamer body 1 and the grip 31 can be gripped by hand. In other words, the grip 31 here has an open shape with an opening 34 formed at its rear part, without being connected to any part of the steamer body 1. The abdomen 32 here refers to the flat central upper surface part of the steamer body 1 facing the grip 31, and is formed as the base 28A of the handle base 28. In addition to this base 28A that is attached onto the cover 15, the handle base 28 is composed of a connecting portion 28B that rises in a U-shape on the front side of the base 28A, and an extension portion 28C that extends rearward from the front connecting portion 28B. The grip portion 31 of the steamer body 1 is formed by covering the extension portion 28C with a handle cover 29.

[0017] On the front side of the grip 31 located at the top of the steamer main body 1, there are disposed, as manually operable operating bodies, a temperature setting / off button 35 as a first operating body that is used for setting the temperature of the base 7, turning the power on and off, and setting the "shot" of steam emission, a steam button 36 as a second operating body that starts and stops the steam emission from the steam hole 12, and a steam changeover switch 39 as a third operating body that switches the type of steam emitted from the steam hole 12. These operating buttons 35, 36 and switch 37 are mounted on a first board 37A disposed at the front inside the grip 31. The number of operating bodies is not limited to three as in this embodiment, and may be operating bodies other than push-type or slide-type. Also, it does not matter which function is assigned to which operating body.

[0018] In addition to the temperature setting / off button 35, the steam button 36, and the steam changeover switch 39, the first board 37A is provided with an indicator lamp 38 arranged with a number of LEDs arranged on the upper front side of the grip 31, a buzzer 42 as an alarm unit that notifies by sound when the power is turned on and off and when the base 7 has reached the set temperature, and a control device 40 that controls the operation of the heater 6, the electromagnetic pump 24, the indicator lamp 38, and the buzzer 42, which are loads on the steamer main body 1. The indicator lamp 38 indicates whether the temperature set by the temperature setting / off button 35 or the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 has reached the set temperature, indicates the setting of the amount of steam to be ejected from the steam hole 12, and indicates whether the steamer main body 1 is in a corded or cordless state, and corresponds to a display means that indicates the operating state of the steamer main body 1. The temperature detection means 41 is attached and fixed to the base 7 inside the steamer main body 1 as a sensor unit that indicates the operating state of the steamer main body 1.

[0019] Inside the grip 31, a second power supply board 37B is disposed behind the first control board 37A. These boards 37A and 37B are electrically connected to each other by wiring 47. The second board 37B is equipped with a power generation device 43 having a power generation function inside the steamer body 1, in addition to the external commercial power from the plug unit 2, and a power supply circuit 44 that receives the power generated by the power generation device 43 and outputs appropriate operating power to each part of the steamer body 1. The number of boards 37A and 37B incorporated in the steamer body 1 and which parts are mounted on which boards 37A and 37B are not particularly limited.

[0020] The power generation device 43 has a power generation function inside the steamer body 1, separate from the external commercial power from the plug unit 2, and is mainly composed of a power supply circuit 44, an electric double layer capacitor 45 as a power supply storage device, a constant current circuit 82 as a quick charging circuit, and diodes 84, 85 for preventing reverse current, as described later in Fig. 9. The power supply circuit 44 receives power from the external commercial power from the plug unit 2 and outputs appropriate operating power to each part of the steamer body 1.

[0021] When the control device 40 is given operating power from the power generator 43, it controls and drives the indicator lamp 38 based on the set temperature based on the operation signal from the temperature set / off button 35, the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, and the presence or absence of connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer body 1 based on the detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 described later. When the control device 40 is given operating power from the power generator 43, it controls and drives the buzzer 42 to notify the power on / off based on the operation signal from the temperature set / off button 35, and also controls and drives the indicator lamp 38 based on the set temperature based on the operation signal from the temperature set / off button 35 and the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41. When the control device 40 is given operating power from the power generator 43, it controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam at a flow rate set based on the operation signal from the temperature set / off button 35 or the steam changeover switch 39 is sprayed outside the steamer body 1 through the steam hole 12 based on the operation signal from the steam button 36. At this time, the electromagnetic pump 24 is also supplied with operating power from the power generation device 43 and is configured to operate in accordance with the set steam flow rate.

[0022] The electromagnetic pump 24, including the suction pipe 25, discharge pipe, and connecting pipe 27, is incorporated in the liquid passage 46 leading from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11. The electromagnetic pump 24 is disposed in the upper storage space 23 inside the steamer main body 1 as a liquid supply unit that supplies water from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11 and varies the flow rate of water supplied to the vaporization chamber 11 according to the steam flow rate set by the temperature setting / off button 35 or the steam changeover switch 39. The specific configuration of the electromagnetic pump 24 may be, for example, a DC motor-driven pump disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0023] In this case, the control device 40 controls the electromagnetic pump 24 so that the microcomputer 87 described later repeats power on / off to the electromagnetic pump 24 when the base 7 is higher than the vaporization temperature of the liquid according to the temperature of the base 7 based on a detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, making it possible to pump a predetermined amount of water from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11, and the amount of water pumped from the electromagnetic pump 24, and therefore the steam flow rate from the steam hole 12, can be increased or decreased as desired by changing the timing of power on / off to the electromagnetic pump 24. On the other hand, when the base 7 is lower than the vaporization temperature of the liquid, the microcomputer 87 controls the electromagnetic pump 24 to stop driving.

[0024] On the other hand, the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48 mainly comprises a bimetal 51 as a thermosensitive responsive body that senses the temperature of the base 7 and deforms, and a valve member 52 that opens and closes the passage 46 in response to the bimetal 51. The bimetal 51 is stored in a concave bimetal storage chamber 53 provided on the upper surface of the base substrate 8. When the base 7 is lower than the vaporization temperature of the liquid, the bimetal 51 is in a return state, and the valve member 52 moves in a direction to close the passage 46, whereas when the base 7 is at or above the vaporization temperature of the liquid, the bimetal 51 is in an inverted state, and the valve member 52 moves in a direction to open the passage 46. At this time, if the electromagnetic pump 24 is operating, water from the tank assembly 17 is forcibly sent to the vaporization chamber 11 through the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48 regardless of the position of the steamer main body 1, and the liquid is reliably dripped into the vaporization chamber 11. Therefore, for the purpose of preventing liquid leakage from the steam hole 12 by not sending water to the evaporation chamber 11 until the base 7 reaches a certain temperature or above, and not sending water to the evaporation chamber 11 even when the temperature drops below a certain temperature, in addition to a software configuration in which the microcomputer 87 controls the operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 in accordance with the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, a hardware configuration can be added in which the bimetal 51 does not reverse until the base 7 reaches a certain temperature or above, and water is not sent to the evaporation chamber 11 from the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48, thereby more reliably preventing liquid leakage from the steam hole 12.

[0025] Inside the steamer main body 1, a lower storage space 54 is formed between the tank base 19 forming the bottom surface of the tank assembly 17 and the upper surface of the base 7 heated by the heater 6, and contains the temperature detection means 41 and other components placed on the upper surface of the steam cover 13 covered with the cover 15. The upper surface of the cover 15 is interposed as a heat insulating part 15A in the lower storage space 54 between the tank base 19 and the base 7, and when the bottom surface of the base 7 is oriented horizontally as shown in FIG. 6, that is, when the steamer main body 1 is horizontal, the electromagnetic pump 24 and the various components mounted on the boards 37A and 37B, such as the power generation device 43, are all located at a higher position above the tank base 19 and the lower storage space 54.

[0026] By arranging the electromagnetic pump 24 and each component mounted on the board 37 at a position higher than the tank base 19, the lower housing space 54, the storage space 20, and the upper housing space 23 that insulate the heat from the base 7 are interposed between the base 7 and the electromagnetic pump 24 and each component mounted on the boards 37A and 37B, and the temperature rise of the electromagnetic pump 24 and each component mounted on the boards 37A and 37B is prevented. In addition, the heat shielding part 15A of the cover 15 is also arranged in the lower housing space 54, and this heat shielding part 15A also effectively blocks the heat from the base 7, and the temperature rise of the electromagnetic pump 24 and each component mounted on the board 37 can be further prevented. In particular, the power generator 43 is provided at the rearmost part of the grip part 31 of the handle 16, which is the furthest from the base 7, and therefore the thermal influence from the base 7 on the power generator 43 can be avoided to the greatest extent possible.

[0027] The configuration of the plug unit 2 and the stand 3 will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8. The plug unit 2 mainly comprises a flexible power cord 61 and a power supply plug 62 provided at the base end of the power cord 61. Although not shown, a power plug that can be inserted into and removed from a household outlet is provided at the end of the power cord 61. The power supply plug 62 has a plug base 63 and a plug cover 64, both made of resin, as outer casing members, and the plug base 63 closes the opening at the bottom of the plug cover 64. In this embodiment, the power supply plug 62 with the power cord 61 is configured to be detachable from either the steamer body 1 or the stand 3.

[0028] The power supply plug 62 is provided with a cordless changeover switch 65 that can be manually operated to make the power supply plug 62 engageable or disengageable with the concave power receiving section 5 of the steamer body 1. The cordless changeover switch 65 is provided on the upper surface side of the power supply plug 62 so as to be slidable back and forth. When the power supply plug 62 is attached to the stand 3 as shown in FIG. 8, in order to use the steamer body 1 in a cordless state with the plug unit 2 removed from the steamer body 1, the cordless changeover switch 65 is moved forward on one side to release the engagement between the steamer body 1 and the power supply plug 62. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to use the steamer body 1 in a corded state with the power supply plug 62 removed from the stand 3 and the plug unit 2 attached to the steamer body 1, the cordless changeover switch 65 is moved backward on the other side to engage the steamer body 1 and the power supply plug 62. At this time, the front portion of the power supply plug 62 is attached to the power receiving unit 5 of the steamer body 1, but the rear portion of the power supply plug 62 including the cordless changeover switch 65 is exposed and not surrounded by the power receiving unit 5, allowing the user to manually operate the cordless changeover switch 65 at any time. The power receiving unit 5 of the steamer body 1 is provided with a pair of power receiving terminals 67 that can be electrically connected to the power supply terminals 66 of the plug unit 2.

[0029] The stand 3 is provided with a main body mounting section 69 formed at an incline with respect to the floor surface S in order to mount the steamer main body 1 with its front facing diagonally upward, a concave plug accommodating section 70 provided behind the main body mounting section 69, and a cord pull-out section 71 provided at the rear of the stand 3 for pulling out the power cord 61 to the outside of the stand 3 when the power supply plug 62 is attached to the plug accommodating section 70. When the power supply plug 62 is inserted from the open front side of the plug accommodating section 70, the power supply plug 62 is fitted and held in the plug accommodating section 70, while when the power supply plug 62 is pulled out toward the front side from this state, the power supply plug 62 is disengaged from the plug accommodating section 70.

[0030] In addition to the cordless switch 65 described above, the power supply plug 62 also has a fitting tab 73 and a shutter member 74. The fitting tab 73 is constantly biased so as to protrude from the top surface of the power supply plug 62 by a first elastic member 75, such as a spring, provided inside the power supply plug 62. When the cordless switch 65 is moved to the "cordless" side against the bias of the first elastic member 75, the length by which the fitting tab 73 protrudes from the top surface of the power supply plug 62 is reduced. As a result, when the cordless switch 65 is on the "cordless" side, the protruding length of the mating tab 73 from the top surface of the power supply plug 62 is small. Therefore, if the power supply plug 62 is stored and held in the plug storage section 70 of the stand 3 as described above, the power receiving section 5 of the steamer main body 1 placed on the main body mounting section 69 of the stand 3 can be inserted into and removed from the power supply plug 62 without interfering with the mating tab 73, making it possible to use the steamer main body 1 cordlessly.

[0031] On the other hand, when the cordless changeover switch 65 is moved to the "corded" side at the rear on the other side, only the biasing force of the first elastic member 75 acts on the fitting claw 73, so the length of the fitting claw 73 protruding from the top surface of the power supply plug 62 increases compared to the "cordless" case. Therefore, when the cordless changeover switch 65 is on the "corded" side and the recess 5 of the steamer body 1 is inserted into the power supply plug 62, the fitting claw 73, which protrudes significantly due to the biasing force of the first elastic member 75, fits into a receiving portion (not shown) formed in the power receiving portion 5, and the steamer body 1 can be used with the cord with the plug unit 2 attached unless the cordless changeover switch 65 is switched to the "cordless" side.

[0032] The resin shutter member 74 is constantly urged by a second elastic member (not shown) such as a torsion spring also provided inside the power plug 62 in a direction such that none of the conductive power supply terminals 66 provided inside the power plug 62 are exposed from a pair of power supply holes 76 formed in front of the power plug 62. Whether the steamer body 1 is used cordlessly or corded, when the recess 5 of the steamer body 1 is inserted into the power supply plug 62, the shutter member 74 rotates against the urging force of the second elastic member so that the power supply terminals 66 are exposed from the power supply holes 76, and the power receiving terminal 67 of the steamer body 1 passes through the power supply holes 76 of the power plug 62 and comes into contact with the power supply terminals 66. This makes it possible to supply power to the steamer body 1 from a household outlet via the plug unit 2.

[0033] 9 is a circuit block diagram showing the electrical connection configuration of the steamer of this embodiment. In the figure, 81 is an alternating current (AC) power source such as a commercial power source, and AC power supplied from this AC power source 81 is applied to the heater 6 and the power supply circuit 44 of the power generation device 43 via the plug unit 2 and the power receiving unit 5. The power supply circuit 44 rectifies and smoothes this AC power to convert it into DC power, and supplies this DC power to the electromagnetic pump 24 and the control device 40.

[0034] The connection of the power generating device 43 will be described. A pair of input terminals of the power supply circuit 44 and a series circuit of the heater 6 and the relay circuit 89 of the control device 40 are connected in parallel to the power receiving unit 5. The anode of the diode 84 is connected to the output terminal of the power supply circuit 44, and each part of the steamer main body 1, such as the microcomputer (microcomputer) 87 of the control device 40 and the electromagnetic pump 24, is connected to the cathode of the diode 84. A series circuit of the constant current circuit 82 and the diode 85 is connected to another output terminal of the power supply circuit 44, and the cathodes of the diode 84 and the diode 85 are connected to each other. An electric double layer capacitor 45 is connected as an electric storage device between the connection point of the output side of the constant current circuit 82 and the anode of the diode 84 and the ground line GL. In this embodiment, the electric double layer capacitor 45 is used as the electric storage device, but other capacitors such as an aluminum electrolytic capacitor may be used, or a secondary battery may be used.

[0035] The power supply circuit 44 receives power supplied from the AC power supply 81 via the plug unit 2, and sends out the operating power required to operate the indicator lamp 38, the buzzer 42, and each part of the control device 40 mounted on the board 37, as well as the operating power required to operate the electromagnetic pump 24. The power supply circuit 44 may be configured to send power separately to each of the multiple output terminals. The constant current circuit 82 uses the power supplied from the power supply circuit 44 to rapidly charge the electric double layer capacitor 45, and includes a control unit 82A such as a control IC that controls the current output by the constant current circuit 82. The control unit 82A monitors the output voltage of the constant current circuit 82, and when the output voltage exceeds a certain voltage value, controls the constant current circuit 82 so that a voltage is output at a predetermined current value. Instead of the constant current circuit 82 with the control unit 82A, a constant voltage circuit with a control unit such as a control IC may be used.

[0036] The electric double layer capacitor 45 is charged with the output power from the constant current circuit 82 and supplies power to each part of the steamer body 1. When commercial power is supplied to the steamer body 1 from the plug unit 2, DC power from the power supply circuit 44 is supplied to the constant current circuit 82, and the output power of the constant current circuit 82 is charged to the electric double layer capacitor 45. When the steamer body 1 is in a cordless state where commercial power is not supplied to the steamer body 1 from the plug unit 2, the electric double layer capacitor 45 is supplied to each part of the steamer body 1 connected to the cathode of the diode 85. In this embodiment, if commercial power is supplied to the steamer body 1 from the plug unit 2, the power supply circuit 44 is configured to automatically charge the electric double layer capacitor 45 via the constant current circuit 82 using the commercial power regardless of whether the steamer body 1 is in use or not in use, but the electric double layer capacitor 45 may be automatically charged in the off state when each part of the steamer body 1 is not in operation and is not in use.

[0037] The control device 40 is mainly composed of a microcomputer 87 as a control means for the steamer main body 1, a switching element 88 that drives the electromagnetic pump 24, a relay circuit 89 that turns the heater 6 on and off, a SW (switch) circuit 90 that transmits operation signals from the temperature setting / off button 35 and the steam button 36 to the microcomputer 87, an LED circuit 91 that turns the indicator lamp 38 on and off, a zero-cross circuit 92 that detects the AC voltage applied to the power receiving unit 5 and transmits it to the microcomputer 87, and an alarm circuit 93 that turns the buzzer 42 on and off.

[0038] The temperature detection means 41 is connected to the input side of the microcomputer 87, and detects the temperature of the base 7 and transmits it to the microcomputer 87 as described above. The switching element 88 is composed of, for example, an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and is connected between the electromagnetic pump 24 and the ground line GL. The microcomputer 87 is also connected to, for example, the gate of the IGBT, which serves as a control terminal, and a pulse drive signal, for example, a PMW (Pulse Width Modulation) control signal, is sent from the output side of the microcomputer 87, and DC power from the power generation device 43 to the electromagnetic pump 24 is interrupted in accordance with the switching operation of the switching element 8, thereby driving the electromagnetic pump 24.

[0039] The SW circuit 90 is connected between the temperature set / off button 35 and the steam button 36 and the input side of the microcomputer 87, and when the temperature set / off button 35 or the steam button 36 is operated, the SW circuit 90 transmits an operation signal to the microcomputer 87. The LED circuit 91 is connected between the output side of the microcomputer 87 and the indicator lamp 38, and turns the indicator lamp 38 on and off according to a control signal from the microcomputer 87. The relay circuit 89 turns the heater 6 on and off according to a control signal from the microcomputer 87, and the output side of the microcomputer 87 is connected to the primary side of a relay included in the relay circuit 89, and the heater 6 is connected to the secondary side of this relay.

[0040] The zero-cross circuit 92 detects the AC voltage applied to the power receiving unit 5 in order to protect the contacts of the relay of the relay circuit 89 from the high-output AC power from the power receiving unit 5, and transmits the detected voltage to the microcomputer 87. The zero-cross circuit 92 is connected between the connection point of the relay circuit 89 and the power receiving unit 5 and the input side of the microcomputer 87. The microcomputer 87 transmits a control signal based on a detection signal from the zero-cross circuit 92 so that the relay of the relay circuit 89 is turned on / off when the voltage applied to the relay is 0V. The zero-cross circuit 92 also functions as a connection detection means for detecting the power waveform of the AC voltage supplied via the power receiving unit 5 through the power cord 61. The microcomputer 87 is configured to detect the presence or absence of the connection of the plug unit 2 based on the presence or absence of the power waveform based on the detection signal from the zero-cross circuit 92. The notification circuit 93 is connected between the output side of the microcomputer 87 and the buzzer 42, and turns the buzzer 42 on / off according to a control signal from the microcomputer 87. The notification circuit 93 may be configured to change the sound or tone of the buzzer 42 in accordance with a control signal from the microcomputer 87 .

[0041] Next, the operation of the steamer with the above configuration will be described. The water inlet lid 22 provided on the steamer main body 1 is opened and closed to store a predetermined amount of water in the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17. Next, the power supply plug 62 of the plug unit 2 is fitted and stored in the plug storage section 70 of the stand 3, and the steamer main body 1 is placed on the main body placement section 69 of the stand 3, or the power supply plug 62 is inserted and fitted into the power receiving section 5 of the steamer main body 1 without using the stand 3, and commercial power supplied from a household outlet is supplied to the steamer main body 1 via the power supply plug 62. Here, when using the steamer body 1 cordlessly, the cordless changeover switch 65 of the plug unit 2 is moved to the "cordless" side toward the front on one side to reduce the protruding length of the mating claw 73 from the top surface of the power supply plug 62, and when using the steamer body 1 with a cord, the cordless changeover switch 65 is moved to the "corded" side toward the rear on the other side, and the mating claw 73, which protrudes significantly due to the biasing force of the first elastic member 75, is engaged with the receiving portion formed in the power receiving part 5.

[0042] In the off state immediately after power supply, in which the temperature setting / off button 35 and the steam button 36 are not operated, commercial power is supplied to the power supply circuit 44 of the generator 43 via the power receiving unit 5, and DC power is sent from the output terminal of this power supply circuit 44 to each part of the steamer main body 1. In addition, the electric double layer capacitor 45 is automatically charged via the constant current circuit 82 by the DC power sent from another output terminal of the power supply circuit 44.

[0043] When the electric double layer capacitor 45 is charged via the constant current circuit 82, the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 45 rises linearly up to a predetermined voltage value. When the control unit 82A detects from the output voltage of the constant current circuit 82 that this voltage has risen to exceed a predetermined voltage value when a predetermined amount of charge is stored in the electric double layer capacitor 45, the control unit 82A controls the constant current circuit 82 so that power is supplied from the constant current circuit 82 at a predetermined current value. Therefore, the rise in the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 45 increases more than the linear function so far, and even if the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor 45 becomes full due to the stored charge, the charging speed does not slow down, and the electric double layer capacitor 45 can be charged at a constant current without being affected by the amount of charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 45. Therefore, even when the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 45 is high, it can be charged quickly, and even in products with a short charge / discharge cycle such as a steamer or a cordless iron, it can be charged in a short time. In addition, even if the storage capacity of the electric double layer capacitor 45 is increased, the adverse effect of the charging time also increasing can be suppressed.

[0044] When control unit 82A detects from the output voltage of constant current circuit 82 that the voltage of electric double layer capacitor 45 has risen to a value at which charging is complete, control unit 82A controls constant current circuit 82 to stop the supply of power from constant current circuit 82. This makes it possible to prevent overcharging of electric double layer capacitor 45, which would otherwise occur if charging continued even after charging of electric double layer capacitor 45 is complete. Therefore, constant current circuit 82 also has a function of protecting electric double layer capacitor 45 from overcharging.

[0045] When the supply of power from the constant current circuit 82 is stopped, the electric double layer capacitor 45 gradually discharges, and this discharged power is sent to each part of the steamer main body 1 via the diode 85 together with the power from the power supply circuit 44 via the diode 84. When the control unit 82A detects that the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 45 has dropped to a value at which recharging begins, the control unit 82A controls the constant current circuit 82 so that power is again supplied from the constant current circuit 82 at a predetermined current value, and the electric double layer capacitor 45 is charged again until its voltage rises to the value at which charging is completed as described above.

[0046] When the user presses the temperature setting / off button 35 from the off state to set a temperature according to the fabric of the clothes to be steamed or a temperature corresponding to the amount of steam to be emitted, the microcomputer 87 of the control device 40 in the steamer main body 1 sends a control signal to the relay circuit 89 to control the heater 6 to be turned on or off so that the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 approaches the temperature set by the temperature setting / off button 35, and heats the base 7 including the vaporization chamber 11. As shown in the tables of Figures 10(A) and (B), the microcomputer 87 of this embodiment is configured to set the steam flow rate depending on the setting of the steam changeover switch 39, the temperature set by the temperature setting / off button 35, and whether or not the "shot" is set by the temperature setting / off button 35. For example, when the temperature is set to "low," if "shower" is set with the steam selector switch 39, or if "shot" is set with the temperature set / off button 35, even if the user presses the steam button 36 from the initial position with his / her finger and the microcomputer 87 receives an operation signal from the SW circuit 90, the microcomputer 87 is configured not to send a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 and not to spray steam. Note that the settings in Figures 10(A) and (B) are merely examples, and other values ​​and settings may be used for the temperature setting, steam setting, and amount of steam.

[0047] When the base 7 reaches a certain temperature or higher as a result of the heater 6 being energized, the bimetal 51 stored in the bimetal storage chamber 53 of the base substrate 8 reverses, and the valve member 52 moves in a direction to open the liquid passage 46 inside the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48. This allows the electromagnetic pump 24 to send water sucked in through the suction pipe 25 from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 through the discharge pipe 26, and then send the water to the vaporization chamber 11 through the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48.

[0048] Thereafter, when the base 7 reaches a certain temperature or higher as a result of current being passed through the heater 6, the microcomputer 87 sends a control signal to the LED circuit 91 to control one of the indicator lamps 38 corresponding to the set temperature to blink, and when the microcomputer 87 determines that the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 has reached the set temperature, it sends a control signal to the LED circuit 91 to control the blinking LED to switch to a lit operation, and also sends a control signal to the alarm circuit 93 to control the buzzer 42 to be switched ON for a predetermined period of time.

[0049] Here, when the steamer body 1 is used with the aforementioned cord, when the user grasps the grip portion 31 with his / her hand and lifts the steamer body 1 forward, as described above, the cordless changeover switch 65 is on the other rear side, the "corded" side, so the engaging claw 73 protrudes significantly and engages with the receiving portion formed in the power receiving unit 5, and the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5, allowing the steamer body 1 with the plug unit 2 attached to be removed from the stand 3.

[0050] When the user uses the steam function, as shown in FIG. 11, while holding the grip 31 in the hand, the user presses the steam button 36 from the initial position with a finger, and the SW circuit 90 sends an operation signal of the steam button 36 to the microcomputer 87. The microcomputer 87 receives the operation signal from the SW circuit 90, and sends a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 according to the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, if the base 7 is higher than the vaporization temperature of the liquid. Here, when the microcomputer 87 receives the detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 and determines that an AC voltage is applied to the power receiving unit 5, it controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam at a flow rate set by the setting of the steam amount when the steam is corded as shown in the table of FIG. 10(B) is sprayed from the steam hole 12. When the steamer is corded, power can be supplied at all times, the heater 6 is driven even during use of the steamer main body 1, and there is no need to consider the heat storage of the base 7, so that a large amount of steam can be sprayed. For example, when the temperature is set to "medium" and the steam selector switch 39 is set to "steam," the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 11 g / min of steam is sprayed, and when the temperature is set to "high" and the steam selector switch 39 is set to "shower," the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 20 g / min of steam is sprayed. Also, when the temperature is set to "high" and "shot" is set by pressing and holding the temperature setting / off button 35 for a predetermined time such as five seconds, the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 50 g / min of steam is sprayed. As a result, the electromagnetic pump 24 is repeatedly turned on and off at a timing corresponding to the set steam flow rate, making it possible to send water sucked from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 through the suction pipe 25 to the vaporization chamber 11 through the discharge pipe 26, the liquid passage 46 and the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48, and the microcomputer 87 drives the electromagnetic pump 24 to more reliably and smoothly eject the desired amount of steam from the steam hole 12. In addition, the connection or non-connection of the plug unit 2 is automatically set without manual setting by the user, and the amount of steam can be changed automatically whether it is corded or cordless.

[0051] Also, when the user wants to stop the steam function, when the steam button 36 is pushed once from the initial position with a finger while steam is being ejected, the SW circuit 90 sends an operation signal of the steam button 36 to the microcomputer 87, and the microcomputer 87 stops sending a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88. In response to this, the electromagnetic pump 24 stops its operation, and the delivery of water from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11 is blocked. Note that the steamer main body 1 of this embodiment employs a configuration in which steam is ejected when the steam button 36 is pushed once, and steam ejection is stopped when the steam button 36 is pushed once again, but the steam may be ejected only while the steam button 36 is being pressed and held.

[0052] When the user uses the dry function, the steamer body 1 is used without operating the steam button 36. At this time, the microcomputer 87 stops sending a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88, so the electromagnetic pump 24 stops operating and water is not sent from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11. Therefore, in this case, the steamer body 1 can be used as a dry steamer in which steam does not spray from any of the steam holes 12.

[0053] On the other hand, when the steamer body 1 is used cordlessly, each part of the steamer body 1, except for the heater 6 which consumes a large amount of power, can be operated in the same way as when it is corded, using the electric double layer capacitor 45 as the power source.

[0054] Specifically, when the user holds the grip 31 and lifts the steamer body 1 forward, the cordless changeover switch 65 is set to the "cordless" side on one side of the front as described above, so that the power supply plug 62 is disconnected from the power receiving part 5 of the steamer body 1 without interfering with the mating claw 73, and the supply of commercial power to the steamer body 1 is stopped. This stops the supply of DC power from the output terminal of the power circuit 44 mounted on the second board 37B, and also stops charging the electric double layer capacitor 45 from the constant current circuit 82. In addition, the supply of power via the diode 84 is also stopped, so the potential of the cathode of the diode 84 drops. Then, when the potential of the cathode of the diode 85, i.e., the potential of the charged electric double layer capacitor 45, becomes higher than the potential of the cathode of the diode 84, the electric double layer capacitor 45 supplies operating power via the diode 85 to the indicator lamp 38, the buzzer 42, the control device 40, and the like mounted on the first board 37A and the second board 37B. The microcomputer 87 of the control device 40, which is operated by this, sends out control signals to control the LED circuit 91 and the notification circuit 93 described above based on the set temperature based on the operation signal from the SW circuit 90 set by the temperature set / off button 35 and the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, and one of the LEDs in the indicator lamp 38 lights up or blinks in accordance with the control signal using the operating power provided by the electric double-layer capacitor 45, and the buzzer 42 turns on / off in accordance with the control signal using the operating power provided by the electric double-layer capacitor 45. Therefore, even during cordless use of the steamer main body 1, the temperature of the base 7, which is the operating state of the steamer main body 1, can be continuously displayed and confirmed by the indicator lamp 38 provided on the upper surface of the steamer main body 1 using the power from the electric double-layer capacitor 45, and the buzzer 42 can be used to notify when the temperature of the base 7 drops.

[0055] When the microcomputer 87 receives a detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 and determines that no AC voltage is being applied to the power receiving unit 5, it detects that the connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer body 1 has switched from connected to disconnected, and sends an operation signal to the notification circuit 93 to drive the buzzer 42, and sends an operation signal to the LED circuit 91 to change the display of the indicator lamp 38 to notify the user that the steamer body 1 is cordless. In addition, in conjunction with the detection, the microcomputer 87 may be configured to send a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 to control the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 and switch to an operation to start spraying steam. In this case, when the power supply plug 62 is disconnected from the power receiving unit 5 of the steamer body 1, steam is sprayed at the set flow rate without the steam button 36 being pressed.

[0056] Here, when the user uses the steam function, as shown in FIG. 11, while holding the grip 31 in the hand, the SW circuit 90 sends an operation signal to the microcomputer 87, and the microcomputer 87 receives the operation signal from the SW circuit 90 and sends a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 according to the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, if the base 7 is higher than the vaporization temperature of the liquid. Here, when the microcomputer 87 receives the detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 and determines that an AC voltage is not being applied to the power receiving unit 5, it controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam is sprayed from the steam hole 12 at a flow rate set by the steam amount setting for the cordless mode as shown in the table of FIG. 10(A). Since the heater 6 cannot be driven in the cordless mode, in order to avoid dissipating the heat stored in the base 7 in a short time, the amount of steam is suppressed more than when the corded mode is used to ensure the duration of steam spray. For example, when the temperature is set to "medium" and the steam selector switch 39 is set to "steam," the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 6 g / min of steam is sprayed, and when the temperature is set to "high" and the steam selector switch 39 is set to "shower," the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 14 g / min of steam is sprayed. Also, when the temperature is set to "high" and "shot" is set by pressing and holding the temperature setting / off button 35 for a predetermined time such as 5 seconds, the microcomputer 87 controls the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that 40 g / min of steam is sprayed. As described above, in the cordless state, the electric double layer capacitor 45 also supplies operating power to the electromagnetic pump 24 via the diode 85, so that the electromagnetic pump 24 can be operated by a pulse drive signal from the microcomputer 87, just as in the case of a corded device, and the water from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 is sent to the vaporization chamber 11 through the discharge pipe 26, the liquid passage 46, and the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48, so that the water reliably reaches the heated vaporization chamber 11 and is vaporized there, and steam can be sprayed at the set flow rate through the steam hole 12 from the bottom of the steam body 1.When the user wants to stop the steam function or use the dry function, the process is the same as when the cord is attached, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] Thereafter, when the temperature of the base 7 drops below a certain temperature, the bimetal 51 stored in the bimetal storage chamber 53 of the base substrate 8 returns to its original state, and the valve member 52 moves in a direction to close the liquid passage 46 inside the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 48. This mechanically prevents water from the tank assembly 17 from flowing into the vaporization chamber 11, and prevents liquid leakage from the steam hole 12. In addition, the steamer main body 1 of this embodiment is configured in conjunction with a software configuration in which the microcomputer 87 controls the operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 according to the temperature of the base 7 based on the detection signal from the temperature detection means 41, and therefore liquid leakage from the steam hole 12 can be more reliably prevented.

[0058] In addition, when the user places the steamer body 1 on the stand 3, the steamer body 1 is placed from the front to the rear of the stand 3, and when the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5, the fitting claw 73 fits into the receiving portion formed in the power receiving unit 5, and the power receiving terminal 67 of the steamer body 1 passes through the power supply hole 76 of the power supply plug 62 and contacts the power supply terminal 66. This causes commercial power to be supplied to the steamer body 1, and DC power is supplied from the output terminal of the power circuit 44 mounted on the second board 37B. When the microcomputer 87 receives a detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 and determines that an AC voltage has been applied to the power receiving unit 5, it detects that the connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer body 1 has changed from not connected to connected, and sends an operation signal to the notification circuit 93 to drive the buzzer 42, and sends an operation signal to the LED circuit 91 to change the display of the indicator lamp 38 to notify the user that the steamer body 1 is corded.

[0059] Here, as shown in FIG. 11, when the user places the steamer body 1 on the stand 3 without stopping the steam function, the microcomputer 87 sends a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88. When the microcomputer 87 receives a detection signal from the zero cross circuit 92 and determines that an AC voltage is applied to the power receiving unit 5 without receiving an operation signal from the SW circuit 90, it detects that the connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer body 1 has switched from not connected to connected, and stops sending the pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 in conjunction with the detection. In response to this, the electromagnetic pump 24 stops its operation, the water is cut off from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11, and the steam ejection from the steamer body 1 stops. Therefore, even if the user forgets to stop the steam ejection from the steamer body 1 in the cordless state, the steam ejection from the steamer body 1 automatically stops when the steamer body 1 is placed on the stand 3, which is a configuration that takes safety into consideration.

[0060] As described above, the steamer of this embodiment comprises the steamer body 1 as the main body, the tank assembly 17 as a tank for storing liquid inside, the base 7 provided below the tank assembly 17 and having the heater 6 as a heating means, the vaporization chamber 11 heated by the heater 6 to vaporize the liquid from the tank assembly 17, the steam hole 12 as an ejection section for ejecting the steam vaporized in the vaporization chamber 11 to the outside, and the plug unit 2 as a plug mechanism having a power cord 61 for supplying commercial electricity and connected to the steamer body 1, the plug unit 2 being detachable from the steamer body 1, and having a configuration in which the amount of steam ejected from the steam hole 12 can be varied depending on whether or not the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer body 1.

[0061] In this case, when the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer body 1 in a corded state, it is configured to be able to spray a large amount of steam from the steam hole 12, and when in a cordless state, the amount of steam is reduced compared to when the corded state to ensure the duration of steam spray, so that the amount of steam can be automatically changed between corded and cordless states according to the purpose of use.

[0062] In addition, the steamer of this embodiment further includes a zero-cross circuit 92 as a connection detection means for detecting the power waveform of commercial power supplied through the power cord 61, and the microcontroller 87 is configured to detect whether or not the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer main body 1 based on the presence or absence of the power waveform based on the detection signal from the zero-cross circuit 92.

[0063] In this case, since it is possible to automatically detect whether the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer main body 1, manual setting by the user is not required, making it possible to provide a more user-friendly steamer. Also, since the power waveform is detected using the zero-cross circuit 92, which is a circuit for protecting the relay contacts of the relay circuit 89, no new parts are added, making it possible to reduce the number of parts and costs.

[0064] In addition, in the steamer of this embodiment, when the microcomputer 87 detects that the connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer main body 1 has changed from not connected to connected, it is configured to switch to an operation that stops sending a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 and stops the emission of steam.

[0065] In this case, even if one forgets to stop the steam emission from the steamer body 1 in cordless state, when the steamer body 1 is placed on the stand 3 and the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer body 1, the steam emission from the steamer body 1 automatically stops, providing a steamer with a safety-conscious configuration.

[0066] In addition, when the microcomputer 87 of the steamer of this embodiment detects that the connection of the plug unit 2 to the steamer main body 1 has changed from present to absent, it may be configured to send a pulse drive signal to the control terminal of the switching element 88 in conjunction with this, to control the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24, and switch to an operation that starts steam ejection.

[0067] In this case, when the power supply plug 62 is disconnected from the power receiving part 5 of the steamer body 1, steam is ejected at the set flow rate without the need to press the steam button 36, so that the user can simply lift the steamer body 1 to eject steam, eliminating the need for the user to take the time and effort required, improving convenience.

[0068] In addition, the steamer of this embodiment further includes an electromagnetic pump 24 as a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid in the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11, and a microcomputer 87 as a control unit that controls the electromagnetic pump 24. The microcomputer 87 varies the amount of steam by varying the amount of liquid supplied from the electromagnetic pump 24 to the vaporization chamber 11, and the microcomputer 87 drives the electromagnetic pump 24, making it possible to more reliably and smoothly spray the desired amount of steam from the steam hole 12.

[0069] In addition, the steamer of this embodiment is equipped with an indicator lamp 38 that serves as a display means for displaying the operating status of the steamer main body 1, such as the set temperature set by the temperature set / off button 35, whether the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 has reached the set temperature, the setting for the amount of steam emitted from the steam hole 12, and whether the steamer main body 1 is in a corded or cordless state, allowing the user to check the operating status of the steamer main body 1 at a glance. EXAMPLES

[0070] 12 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of electrical connections of a steamer in a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a switch mechanism 96 is added. The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description will be omitted.

[0071] The switch mechanism 96 mechanically detects the connection between the plug unit 2 and the steamer body 1 and transmits it to the microcomputer 87. For example, a microswitch is used, and it acts as a connection detection means between the plug unit 2 and the steamer body 1. The switch mechanism 96 is configured to detect the power supply plug 62 when the power supply plug 62 of the plug unit 2 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5. For example, the switch mechanism 96 is provided in the power receiving unit 5 of the steamer body 1, and is configured to send a detection signal to the microcomputer 87 when the switch mechanism 96 contacts the power supply plug 62. In this case, since the switch mechanism 96 mechanically detects the connection between the plug unit 2 and the steamer body 1, this connection can be detected more reliably. The zero-cross circuit 92 and the switch mechanism 96 may be used together as the first connection detection means and the second connection detection means, and since the zero-cross circuit 92 electrically detects that the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5, and the switch mechanism 96 mechanically detects it, the connection between the plug unit 2 and the steamer body 1 can be detected more reliably.

[0072] Alternatively, for example, the switch mechanism 96 may be provided in the power supply plug 62, and may be configured to send a detection signal to the microcomputer 87 when the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5. In this case, the switch mechanism 96 and the microcomputer 87 may be electrically connected to each other, or may be configured to be electrically connected to each other when the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the power receiving unit 5.

[0073] As described above, in the steamer of this embodiment, either the steamer body 1 or the plug unit 2 is equipped with a switch mechanism 96, and the switch mechanism 96 is configured to detect whether the plug unit 2 is connected to the steamer body 1. Because the switch mechanism 96 mechanically detects the connection between the plug unit 2 and the steamer body 1, this connection can be detected more reliably.

[0074] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The name "steamer" of the present invention applies to any device that ejects steam to remove wrinkles from clothes, and includes, for example, a steamer suitable for ejecting steam onto clothes from a distance as shown in the present embodiment, as well as a steam iron suitable for ejecting steam while pressing the ironing surface of the base against the clothes. The display unit is not limited to an LED, and various other display elements and displays can be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Steamer body (main body) 2 Plug unit (plug mechanism) 6 Heater (heating means) 7. Bass 11 Vaporization chamber 12 Steam hole (outlet) 17 Tank assembly (tank) 24 Electromagnetic pump (pump) 38 Indicator lamp (indication means) 61 Power cord 87 Microcomputer (control unit) 92 Zero cross circuit (connection detection means) 96 Switch mechanism

Claims

1. a main body, a tank for storing liquid therein, a hanging face member, a vaporization chamber for vaporizing the liquid from the tank, a jetting unit for jetting the steam vaporized in the vaporization chamber to the outside, a power cord for supplying power, a pump for supplying the liquid in the tank to the vaporization chamber, a control unit for energizing and controlling the pump, and connection detection means for detecting a power waveform supplied through the power cord, and characterized in that the presence or absence of power supply is detected based on the presence or absence of the power waveform, and the control unit varies the amount of the supply from the pump according to the presence or absence of the power supply, thereby varying the amount of steam jetted from the jetting unit.

2. The steam cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a plug mechanism having the power cord and connected to the main body, wherein the plug mechanism is detachable from the main body, and a configuration for detecting the presence or absence of connection of the plug mechanism to the main body based on the presence or absence of the power waveform.

3. The steam cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit varies the amount of the supply from the pump according to a setting, thereby varying the amount of steam jetted from the jetting unit, wherein the setting includes two or more temperature settings and two or more steam type settings, and the amount of steam is varied according to a combination of the temperature setting and the steam type setting.

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