Steamer

Abstract

To provide a steamer capable of avoiding increase in temperature of a pump and stably actuating the pump.SOLUTION: A steamer of the present invention comprises: a tank assembly 17 that stores liquid in the inside thereof; a base 7 that is disposed below the tank assembly 17 and has a heater 6; an evaporation chamber 11 that is heated by the heater 6 in order to evaporate the liquid from the tank assembly 17; a steam hole to eject the steam evaporated in the evaporation chamber 11 to the outside; and an electromagnetic pump 24 that feeds the liquid in the tank assembly 17 to the evaporation chamber 11. The tank assembly 17 has a concave part on a top face thereof. The electromagnetic pump 24 is accommodated and disposed in the concave part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Figure 8 shows the internal structure of a conventional steamer. In the figure, 201 is the steamer body, 202 is a plug unit that supplies power to the steamer body, and 203 is a stand on which the steamer body 201 is detachably placed. The steamer body 201 is provided with a tank 210 that stores liquid water and a base 212 in which a heater 211 that serves as heating means is embedded. A concave vaporization chamber 213 is formed in the base 212, and a plurality of steam holes 214 that communicate with this vaporization chamber 213 are opened in the underside of the base 212 as ejection ports. A valve mechanism is provided between the tank 210 and the vaporization chamber 213, and its main components are a drip rod 216 as a movable body, a rod sleeve (silicone packing) 217 ​​attached to the bottom of the drip rod 216, and a needle valve 218 positioned facing the rod sleeve 217.

[0003] The dripping rod 216 is linked to the steam lever 221, and when the steam lever 221 is moved so that the dripping rod 216 rises, the rod sleeve 217 separates from the needle valve 218, opening the valve, and allowing water to be supplied from the tank 210 to the vaporization chamber 213. At this time, if the vaporization chamber 213 is heated by the heater 211, the water from the tank 210 is vaporized in the vaporization chamber 213 by the heater 211 to become steam, and the steam is released from the steam hole 214. Mar The water is sprayed outside the main body 201. Conversely, when the steam lever 221 is moved so that the dripping rod 216 descends, the rod sleeve 217 comes into close contact with the needle valve 218, closing the valve, cutting off the supply of water from the tank 210 to the vaporization chamber 213, and preventing steam from being sprayed from the steam hole 214.

[0004] As described above, the steam generation mechanism in conventional steamers mechanically opens and closes needle valve 218, which serves as a valve body, to drip water from tank 210 and send water into vaporization chamber 213, generating steam. However, with this structure, when the internal pressure of vaporization chamber 213 is high, it is difficult for water to drip from tank 210, and in order to drip water, water must be immersed in the water passage from tank 210 to vaporization chamber 213, which places restrictions on the ability to spray steam.

[0005] In response to these problems, the applicant proposed and has already obtained a patent for an electromagnetic pump driven by a DC motor, which replaces the conventional mechanical steam generation mechanism. In this case, the electromagnetic pump is driven by repeatedly turning the DC motor on and off, which enables smooth steam emission from the steam outlet regardless of the internal pressure of the vaporization chamber or the position of the iron body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6534886 specification Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] On the other hand, it is necessary to prevent heat from the heating means or the base from being conducted to the pump driven by a DC motor, causing the temperature of the pump to rise and resulting in unstable operation of the pump.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a steamer that prevents the temperature of the pump from rising and allows the pump to operate stably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The steamer of the present invention includes a tank for storing liquid therein, a base provided below the tank and equipped with a heating means, a vaporization chamber heated by the heating means for vaporizing the liquid from the tank, a jetting portion for jetting the steam vaporized in the vaporization chamber to the outside, and a pump for supplying the liquid from the tank to the vaporization chamber. A first operating body for instructing the temperature setting of the base and a second operating body for instructing the ejection of steam are connected to the and a control board, wherein the tank has a recessed portion on the upper surface, and the pump is accommodated and disposed in the recessed portion, and the steamer body having the tank, the vaporization chamber, the control board, and the pump inside has a grip portion and a body portion, The grip portion and the abdomen portion are connected by a connecting portion that rises from the abdomen portion at the front end side, A cavity is formed between the grip portion and the abdomen, the recessed portion is disposed below the abdomen, and the control board is disposed inside the grip portion. The first operating body is above the grip portion, and the second operating body is below the grip portion. The position of the control board is Also above It is characterized by being on the side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the pump from rising and to operate the pump stably. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the steamer according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the steamer as seen from the rear right side. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the steamer. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the steamer as seen from the front right side. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the plug unit attached to the stand, as viewed from the front right side. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the steamer body. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the steamer body. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a conventional steamer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the steamer of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] 1 to 7 show a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. The overall configuration of the steamer according to this embodiment is explained in each of these figures. Its main components are a steamer main body 1, which heats and vaporizes liquid water and sprays steam to the outside, a plug unit 2, which supplies commercial power to the steamer main body 1 from a household outlet (not shown), and a stand 3, which is used while placed on the floor S and on which the steamer main body 1 is detachably placed. The plug unit 2 is detachably attached to either the steamer main body 1 or the stand 3.

[0014] The steamer main body 1 has a concave power receiving section 5 at its rear for receiving power, and a metal base 7 at its bottom in which a heater 6 is embedded as heating means. The base 7 is configured with a base plate 9, which serves as a hanging surface, attached to the bottom surface of a die-cast base substrate 8. The base 7 is tightly fixed to the base substrate 8 by fastening members 10. A steam chamber, i.e., a vaporization chamber 11, is formed inside the base 7 near the heater 6, and multiple steam holes 12 communicating with the vaporization chamber 11 are formed in the base plate 9, which forms the underside of the base 7. The base 7 also has a metal steam cover 13, which serves as an upper cover. The steam cover 13, attached and fixed to the base substrate 8, forms the upper surface of the vaporization chamber 11. The vaporization chamber 11 may be a separate entity rather than being formed in the base 7. In this case, a heater 6 or other heating means is provided to heat and vaporize the water that becomes liquid in the vaporization chamber 11.

[0015] Reference numeral 15 denotes a resin cover provided to cover the upper and side portions of base 7, and reference numeral 16 denotes a handle fixed to the top of cover 15 and formed in a roughly 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 handle 16. Tank assembly 17 is composed of a tank cover 18 and a tank base 19, both of which are made of resin, and by attaching and fixing tank base 19 so as to cover the bottom opening of tank cover 18, a liquid storage space 20 is formed inside tank assembly 17.

[0016] Reference numeral 21 denotes a water inlet provided at the front of the tank assembly 17, which directly communicates with the aforementioned storage space 20. Opposite this water inlet 21 and at the front of the handle 16 is a water inlet lid 22 that allows the water inlet 21 to be opened and closed manually, and by lifting the water inlet lid 22 forward to open the water inlet 21, liquid water can be added to the tank assembly 17 or unwanted water can be discarded from the tank assembly 17. Inside the steamer body 1, an upper storage space 23 separated from the storage space 20 by a standing wall 18A formed at the rear of the tank cover 18 is provided with an electromagnetic pump 24 for supplying water stored in the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11, which is 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 a low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47, which will be described later, 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 accommodation space 23 of the electromagnetic pump 24 to the water storage space 20. As a result, no matter what position the steamer body 1 is used in, the water stored in the storage space 20 does not enter the upper accommodation space 23 in which the electromagnetic pump 24 is disposed, and when the electromagnetic pump 24 is operating, the water sucked into the electromagnetic pump 24 through the suction pipe 25 and the connecting pipe 27 from the storage space 20 can be sent to the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47 through the discharge pipe 26.

[0017] The handle 16 is composed of two parts, a handle base 28 and a handle cover 29, both made of resin. Located at the top of the steamer body 1, a rod-shaped grip portion 31 is formed extending from front to rear. The grip portion 31 has a cavity 33 between it and the body portion 32 of the steamer body 1, and an opening 34 communicating with the cavity 33 is formed at the rear of the grip portion 31 so that a hand can be inserted into the cavity 33 from the rear of the steamer body 1 and grip the grip portion 31 with the hand. In other words, the rear portion of the grip portion 31 here is not connected to any part of the steamer body 1, but has an open shape that forms the opening 34. The body portion 32 here refers to the flat, central upper surface portion of the steamer body 1 facing the grip portion 31, and in this embodiment, it is formed as the base portion 28A of the handle base 28. In addition to this base 28A, the handle base 28 is composed of a connecting portion 28B that rises in a U-shape in front of the base 28A, and an extension portion 28C that extends rearward from the connecting portion 28B and forms the underside of the grip portion 31, and the grip portion 31 of the steamer body 1 is formed by covering the extension portion 28C with a handle cover 29.

[0018] On the front side of the grip 31 located at the top of the steamer main body 1, there are provided two manually operable operating bodies: a temperature set / off button 35 as a first operating body that sets the temperature of the base 7 and turns the power on and off; and a steam volume setting button 36 as a second operating body that sets the flow rate of steam emitted from the steam holes 12. These operating buttons 35, 36 are mounted on a first circuit board 37A located inside the front of the grip 31. The number of operating bodies is not limited to two as in this embodiment, and operating bodies other than push-type operating bodies may be used. Furthermore, it is not important which function is assigned to which operating body.

[0019] In addition to the temperature on / off button 35 and steam volume setting button 36, the first board 37A is equipped with a temperature indicator lamp 38 consisting of an array of LEDs located on the upper front side of the grip portion 31, a buzzer 39 that serves as an alarm unit that sounds 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, electromagnetic pump 24, and temperature indicator lamp 38, which serve as loads on the steamer main body 1. The temperature indicator lamp 38 indicates the temperature set by the temperature on / off button 35 and whether the temperature of the base 7 detected by temperature detection means 41 has reached the set temperature, and corresponds to a display unit that displays the operating status 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 displays the operating status of the steamer main body 1.

[0020] A second power supply board 37B is disposed inside the grip portion 31, positioned behind the first control board 37A. These boards 37A, 37B are electrically connected to each other by wiring 42. The second board 37B is equipped with a power generation device 43 that has a power generation function within the steamer main body 1 in addition to the external commercial power from the plug unit 2, and a power supply circuit 44 that receives power generated by the power generation device 43 and outputs appropriate operating power to each part of the steamer main body 1. There are no particular limitations on the number of boards 37A, 37B incorporated into the steamer main body 1 or which components are mounted on which boards 37A, 37B.

[0021] The power generation device 43 includes a primary battery (cell) or a secondary battery for power supply. Preferably, the power generation device 43 may be configured as a power storage unit combining a secondary battery and a charging circuit so that, when commercial power is supplied to the steamer body 1 from the plug unit 2 while the steamer body 1 is in an off state when not in use and not operating, the charging circuit can automatically charge the secondary battery using the commercial power.

[0022] The power supply circuit 44 receives power generated by the power generator 43 when the steamer main body 1 is in a cordless state where commercial power is not supplied from the plug unit 2, and sends the operating power required to operate the temperature indicator lamp 38, buzzer 39, control device 40, etc. mounted on the first board 37A via wiring 42, and also sends the operating power required to operate the electromagnetic pump 24 via another wiring 45 routed inside the steamer main body 1. Some or all of the functions of this power supply circuit 44 may be incorporated into the power generator 43.

[0023] When operating power is supplied to the control device 40 from the power supply circuit 44, it controls the operation of the temperature 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. At this time, the temperature indicator lamp 38 is also supplied with operating power from the power supply circuit 44 and is configured to light up or flash. Furthermore, when operating power is supplied to the control device 40 from the power supply circuit 44, it controls the operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam at a set flow rate based on the operation signal from the steam amount setting button 36 is sprayed to the outside of the steamer body 1 through the steam hole 12. At this time, the electromagnetic pump 24 is also supplied with operating power from the power supply circuit 44 and is configured to operate according to the set steam flow rate.

[0024] The liquid passage 46 leading from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporizing chamber 11 incorporates the electromagnetic pump 24, which includes the aforementioned suction pipe 25, discharge pipe 26, and connecting pipe 27, and a low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47, which prevents liquid from flowing into the vaporizing chamber 11 when the base 7 is below the vaporization temperature. The electromagnetic pump 24 supplies water from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporizing chamber 11, and is disposed in the upper storage space 23 inside the steamer main body 1 as a liquid supply unit that varies the flow rate of water supplied to the vaporizing chamber 11 according to the steam flow rate set by the steam amount setting button 36. The specific configuration of the electromagnetic pump 24 may be, for example, a DC motor-driven pump as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this case, the control device 40 controls the electromagnetic pump 24 so as to repeatedly turn on and off electricity to the electromagnetic pump 24, thereby making it possible to pump a predetermined amount of water from the tank assembly 17 to the evaporation 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 turning on and off electricity to the electromagnetic pump 24.

[0025] Meanwhile, low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47 mainly comprises a bimetal 51 as a thermosensitive element that senses the temperature of base 7 and deforms, and a valve member 52 that opens and closes passage 46 in response to bimetal 51. Bimetal 51 is housed in a concave bimetal housing chamber 53 provided on the upper surface of base substrate 8. When base 7 is lower than the vaporization temperature of the liquid, bimetal 51 is in its return state, and valve member 52 moves in a direction that closes passage 46. However, when base 7 reaches the vaporization temperature of the liquid or higher, bimetal 51 is in its reverse state, and valve member 52 moves in a direction that opens passage 46. At this time, if the electromagnetic pump 24 is operating, water from tank assembly 17 is forcibly sent through low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47 into vaporization chamber 11 regardless of the position of steamer main body 1, so that liquid is reliably dripped into vaporization chamber 11.

[0026] Inside the steamer main body 1, a lower storage space 54 is formed between the tank base 19, which forms the bottom surface of the tank assembly 17, and the upper surface of the base 7, which is heated by the heater 6. The lower storage space 54 houses the temperature detection means 41, low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47, and other components, which are placed on the upper surface of the steam cover 13, covered by the cover 15. The upper surface of the cover 15 is interposed as a heat shield 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 Figures 6 and 7, that is, when the steamer main body 1 is horizontal, the electromagnetic pump 24 and the power generator 43 are both positioned higher than the tank base 19 and the lower storage space 54.

[0027] By arranging the electromagnetic pump 24 and the generator 43 at a position higher than the tank base 19, a lower accommodation space 54 that blocks heat from the base 7 is interposed between the base 7 and the electromagnetic pump 24, thereby preventing a temperature rise in the electromagnetic pump 24 and the generator 43. Furthermore, since the heat shielding portion 15A of the cover 15 is also arranged in the lower accommodation space 54, this heat shielding portion 15A also effectively blocks heat from the base 7, further preventing a temperature rise in the electromagnetic pump 24 and the generator 43. In particular, since the generator 43 is provided at the rearmost part of the grip portion 31 of the handle 16, which is farthest from the base 7, the thermal influence of the base 7 on the generator 43 can be prevented to the greatest extent possible.

[0028] As a modified example, the upper surface of the tank assembly 17 facing the base portion 28A of the handle base 28 may be formed into a recess, and the electromagnetic pump 24 may be housed and disposed therein. In this case, the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 interposed between the electromagnetic pump 24 and the base 7 can be utilized to more effectively block heat from the base 7. This effect is also exerted in the case of a heat-generating device 43 having a storage space 20 interposed between it and the base 7.

[0029] The plug unit 2 mainly comprises a flexible power cord 61 and a power supply plug 62 attached to 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 attached to the tip of the power cord 61. In this embodiment, the power supply plug 62 attached to the power cord 61 is configured to be attachable and detachable to both the steamer main body 1 and the stand 3.

[0030] The power supply plug 62 is provided with a cordless selector switch 63 that can be manually operated to enable or disable the power supply plug 62 from fitting into the recess 5 of the steamer body 1. The cordless selector switch 63 is provided on the top surface of the power supply plug 62 so that it can slide back and forth. When the power supply plug 62 is attached to the stand 3 as shown in FIG. 5 , in order to use the steamer body 1 in a cordless state with the plug unit 2 detached from the steamer body 1, the cordless selector switch 63 is moved forward to one side to disengage the steamer body 1 from the power supply plug 62. In contrast, to use the steamer body 1 in a corded state with the power supply plug 62 detached from the stand 3 and the plug unit 2 attached to the steamer body 1, the cordless selector switch 63 is moved backward to 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 recess 5 of the steamer body 1, but the rear portion of the power supply plug 62, including the cordless selector switch 63, is exposed and not surrounded by the recess 5, allowing the user to manually operate the cordless selector switch 63 at any time. The recess 5 of the steamer body 1 is provided with a pair of power receiving terminals 64 that can be electrically connected to the power supply terminals (not shown) of the plug unit 2.

[0031] The stand 3 is equipped with a main body mounting section 66 formed at an angle with respect to the floor surface S so that the front of the steamer main body 1 can be mounted diagonally upward, a recessed plug accommodating section 67 provided behind the main body mounting section 66, and a cord outlet section 68 provided at the rear of the stand 3 for pulling the power cord 61 out of the stand 3 when the power supply plug 62 is attached to the plug accommodating section 67. When the power supply plug 62 is inserted from the open front side of the plug accommodating section 67, the power supply plug 62 is fitted and held in the plug accommodating section 67, but when the power supply plug 62 is pulled out towards the front from this state, the power supply plug 62 is disengaged from the plug accommodating section 67.

[0032] In addition to the cordless selector switch 63, the power plug 62 also has a mating tab 71 and a shutter member 72. The mating tab 71 is constantly biased by a first elastic member, such as a spring, provided inside the power plug 62 so that it protrudes from the top surface of the power plug 62. When the cordless selector switch 63 is moved forward to the "cordless" side against the bias of the first elastic member, the length of the mating tab 71 protruding from the top surface of the power plug 62 decreases. As a result, when the cordless switch 63 is on the "cordless" side, the length of the mating claws 71 protruding from the top surface of the power plug 62 is small, so if the power plug 62 is stored and held in the plug storage section 67 of the stand 3 as described above, the power plug 62 can be inserted and removed from the recess 5 of the steamer main body 1 placed on the main body mounting section 66 of the stand 3 without interfering with the mating claws 71, making it possible to use the steamer main body 1 cordlessly.

[0033] On the other hand, when the cordless selector switch 63 is moved to the "corded" side, only the biasing force of the first elastic member acts on the mating claw 71, so that the length of mating claw 71 protruding from the top surface of the power plug 62 increases compared to the "cordless" state. Therefore, when the cordless selector switch 63 is on the "corded" side and the recess 5 of the steamer body 1 is inserted into the power plug 62, the mating claw 71, which protrudes significantly due to the biasing force of the first elastic member, fits into a receptacle (not shown) formed in the recess 5, and the steamer body 1 can be used with the plug unit 2 attached as a cord unless the cordless selector switch 63 is switched to the "cordless" side.

[0034] The resin shutter member 72 is constantly biased by a second elastic member (not shown), such as a torsion spring, provided inside the power plug 62 in a direction that prevents any of the conductive power supply terminals (not shown) provided inside the power plug 62 from being exposed through a pair of power supply holes 73 formed in the front of the power plug 62. In this embodiment, whether the steamer body 1 is used cordlessly or with a cord, when the power supply plug 62 is inserted into the recess 5 of the steamer body 1, the shutter member 72 rotates against the biasing force of the second elastic member so that the power supply terminals are exposed from the power supply holes 73, and the power receiving terminal 64 of the steamer body 1 passes through the power supply hole 65A of the power plug 62 and comes into contact with the power supply terminal 88. This allows power to be supplied to the steamer body 1 from a household outlet via the plug unit 2.

[0035] Next, the operation of the steamer configured as described above will be explained. The water inlet lid 22 on the steamer main body 1 is opened and closed to fill the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 with a predetermined amount of water. Next, the power supply plug 62 of the plug unit 2 is fitted and accommodated in the plug accommodation portion 67 of the stand 3, and the steamer main body 1 is placed on the main body placement portion 66 of the stand 3, or the power supply plug 62 is inserted and fitted into the recess 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.

[0036] In the off state immediately after power is supplied, where the temperature setting / off button 35 and steam amount setting button 36 are not operated, the power storage unit, which is the power generator 43, is automatically charged by commercial power supplied to the steamer main body 1. Therefore, when charging the power generator 43, the user does not need to take the trouble of operating controls such as the temperature setting / off button 35 and steam amount setting button 36. Furthermore, in the off state, the heater 6 and temperature indicator lamp 38 are not powered, but the remaining battery charge of the power generator 43 may be displayed on the temperature indicator lamp 38 or on a separate display.

[0037] When using the steamer main body 1 with the cord, pressing the temperature set / off button 35 from the off state and setting a temperature appropriate for the fabric of the clothing or other object to be steamed stops charging the generator 43 inside the steamer main body 1. The control device 40 also controls the heater 6 to turn on and off to heat the base 7, including the vaporization chamber 11, so that the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 approaches the temperature set by the temperature set / off button 35. When the base 7 subsequently reaches a certain temperature as a result of the application of current to the heater 6, the bimetal 51 housed in the bimetal housing chamber 53 of the base substrate 8 reverses, and the valve member 52 moves in the direction opening the passage 46 inside the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47. During this process, the control device 40 blinks one LED among the temperature indicator lamps 38 corresponding to the set temperature. When the temperature of the base 7 detected by the temperature detection means 41 reaches the set temperature, the control device 40 sends a control signal to drive and control the temperature indicator lamp 38, switching the blinking LED to a steady light.

[0038] When a user uses the steam function, while still holding the grip 31 in his / her hand, he / she presses the steam amount setting button 36 from its initial position with his / her finger, which sets the steam flow rate according to the position to which the steam amount setting button 36 is pressed, and an operation signal corresponding to this is sent to the control device 40. The control device 40 receives the operation signal from the steam amount setting button 36 and sends a control signal to control the operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam at the set flow rate is sprayed from the steam hole 12. This causes the electromagnetic pump 24 to repeatedly turn on and off at timings corresponding to the set steam flow rate, enabling water drawn from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 through the suction pipe 25 and the connecting pipe 27 to be sent through the discharge pipe 26 to the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47. Therefore, in this case, no matter what position the steamer main body 1 is used in, water reliably reaches the heated vaporization chamber 11, is vaporized there, and the steam Mar Steam can be emitted from the bottom of the main body 1 through the steam holes 12 onto the fabric of clothing at a set flow rate.

[0039] Furthermore, when the user uses the dry function, the user releases his / her finger from the steam amount setting button 36 and returns it to its initial position, causing the control means 40 to stop sending a control signal to the electromagnetic pump 24. In response to this, the electromagnetic pump 24 stops operating, and the delivery of water from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11 is cut off. Therefore, in this case, the steamer main body 1 can be used as a dry steamer in which steam is not sprayed from any of the steam holes 12.

[0040] On the other hand, when the steamer main body 1 is used cordlessly, the power generator 43 can be used as a power source to operate each part of the steamer main body 1 in the same way as when it is corded, except for the heater 6 which consumes a lot of power.

[0041] Specifically, when the steamer main body 1 is in the cordless state, the power supply circuit 44 mounted on the second circuit board 37B receives power generated by the power generator 43 and supplies operating power via wiring 42 to the temperature indicator lamp 38, buzzer 39, control device 40, and other devices mounted on the first circuit board 37A. The control device 40, activated by this, sends a control signal to drive and control the temperature indicator lamp 38 described above based on the set temperature, which is based on an operation signal from the temperature set / off button 35, and the temperature of the base 7, which is based on a detection signal from the temperature detection means 41. One LED in the temperature indicator lamp 38 lights up or flashes in accordance with the control signal using the operating power provided by the power supply circuit 44. In this regard, in conventional steamers, the entire display is turned off during cordless use, making it impossible to check the steamer's operating status. However, in this embodiment, even during cordless use, the temperature of the base 7, which indicates the steamer's operating status, can be continuously displayed and checked on the temperature indicator lamp 38 mounted on the top surface of the steamer main body 1 using power from the power generator 43.

[0042] Furthermore, when the steamer main body 1 is in a cordless state, the power supply circuit 44 receives power generated by the power generator 43 and supplies operating power to the electromagnetic pump 24 via wiring 45. At this time, when the steam amount setting button 36 is pressed with a finger to set the steam flow rate according to the pressing position and an operation signal corresponding to this is sent to the control device 40, the control device 40 receives the operation signal from the steam amount setting button 36 and sends a control signal to control the operation of the electromagnetic pump 24 so that steam at the set flow rate is sprayed from the steam holes 12. As a result, the electromagnetic pump 24 is repeatedly energized and deenergized at timings corresponding to the set steam flow rate, making it possible to send water sucked from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 to the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47. Therefore, if the bimetal 51 is inverted due to residual heat of the base 7, the passage 46 is opened inside the low-temperature liquid inflow prevention mechanism 47, so that no matter what position the steamer body 1 is used in, water will reliably reach the heated vaporization chamber 11 from the storage space 20 of the tank assembly 17 and be vaporized there, and steam at the flow rate set by the steam amount setting button 36 can be sprayed from the steam hole 12.

[0043] As described above, the steamer of this embodiment is provided with the following components in the steamer body 1: a tank assembly 17 as a tank for storing liquid inside; a base 7 provided below the tank assembly 17 and having a heater 6 embedded therein as a heating means; a vaporization chamber 11 heated by the heater 6 for vaporizing the liquid from the tank assembly 17; steam holes 12 as an ejection section for ejecting the steam vaporized in the vaporization chamber 11 to the outside; a power generation device 43 positioned higher than the tank base 19 that forms the bottom surface of the tank assembly 17; and an electromagnetic pump 24 as a liquid supply section that supplies the liquid in the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11. The power generated by the power generation device 43 is used to operate a control device 40 mounted on the first board 37A, and the control device 40 controls the driving of the electromagnetic pump 24.

[0044] In this case, by locating the power generator 43 at a position higher than the tank base 19 that forms the bottom surface of the tank assembly 17, it is possible to prevent the power generator 43 from deteriorating due to the influence of the heating temperature of the base 7 caused by the heater 6. Furthermore, even in a cordless state where there is no power supply to the steamer and therefore to the steamer main body 1, the power generated by the power generator 43 can be used to control the drive of the electromagnetic pump 24, and no matter what position the steamer main body 1 is in when used, the electromagnetic pump 24 can be driven to forcibly send liquid from the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11, allowing steam to be smoothly ejected from the steam hole 12.

[0045] In addition, the liquid supply section of this embodiment is composed of an electromagnetic pump 24, and uses power from a power generation device 43 to provide operating power from a power supply circuit 44 to the electromagnetic pump 24, thereby driving the electromagnetic pump 24 and sending the liquid contained in the storage space 20 within the tank assembly 17 to the vaporization chamber 11.

[0046] In this case, by driving the electromagnetic pump 24 with electric power from the power generator 43, it becomes possible to eject steam from the steam holes 12 more reliably and smoothly.

[0047] In this embodiment, an electromagnetic pump 24 serving as a liquid supply unit is disposed inside the steamer body 1 at a position higher than the tank base 19 that forms the bottom surface of the tank assembly 17.

[0048] In this case, by arranging the electromagnetic pump 24 at a position higher than the tank base 19, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the electromagnetic pump 24 from rising and to operate the electromagnetic pump 24 stably.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, the operating state of the steamer main body 1 further includes a temperature detection means 41 as a sensor unit that detects the temperature of the base 7, and a temperature display lamp 38 as a display unit that displays the temperature of the base 7, and is configured to operate the temperature display lamp 38 according to the temperature of the base 7 by controlled driving of the control device 40 using power from the power generation device 43 via the temperature detection means 41.

[0050] In this case, the power from the power generator 43 can also be used to drive the temperature display lamp 38, and even in a cordless state where no power is supplied to the steamer main body 1, it is possible to detect the temperature of the base 7, which is the operating state of the steamer main body 1, and display the result on the temperature display lamp 38.

[0051] The power generation device 43 of this embodiment is configured as an electricity storage unit that can be automatically charged when the steamer main body 1 is in an off state, that is, when not in use.

[0052] In this case, the power storage unit serving as the power generating device 43 is automatically charged when the steamer main body 1 is not in use and is in the off state, so steam can be smoothly ejected from the steam hole 12 without having to worry about charging the power storage unit.

[0053] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The term "steamer" as used in the present invention applies to any device that sprays steam to remove wrinkles from clothing, including, for example, a steamer suitable for spraying steam onto clothing from a distance, as shown in this embodiment, as well as a steam iron suitable for spraying steam while ironing by pressing the ironing surface of the base against the clothing. Furthermore, various sensors other than the temperature detection means 41 may be used to drive and control the operation of the display unit, and the display unit is not limited to an LED, but various other display elements and indicators may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1 Steamer body 6 Heater (heating means) 7. Bass 11 Vaporization chamber 12 Steam hole (outlet) 17 Tank assembly (tank) 19 Tank base (bottom) 24 Electromagnetic pump (liquid supply section) 25 Suction pipe 28B Connecting part 31 Grip 32 Abdomen 33 Cavity 35 Temperature setting / off button (first operating body) 36 Steam volume setting button (second operating body) 37A First board (control board)

Claims

1. A tank that stores a liquid therein; a base provided below the tank and equipped with a heating means; a vaporization chamber heated by the heating means to vaporize liquid from the tank; A jetting portion that jets the steam vaporized in the vaporization chamber to the outside; a pump that supplies the liquid in the tank to the vaporization chamber; a control board connected to a first operating body for instructing the temperature setting of the base and a second operating body for instructing the ejection of steam; the tank has a recessed portion on its upper surface; The pump is disposed and housed in the recessed portion, The steamer body, which has the tank, the vaporization chamber, the control board, and the pump inside, has a grip portion and a body portion, The grip portion and the abdomen portion are connected by a connecting portion that rises from the abdomen portion at the front end side, A cavity is formed between the grip portion and the abdomen portion, the recess is disposed below the abdomen; the control board is disposed inside the grip portion, the first operating body is above the grip portion, and the second operating body is below the grip portion; A steamer characterized in that the control board is located above the pump.

2. 2. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the pump is driven by a DC motor.

3. 3. The steamer according to claim 1, wherein the pump is disposed at a position higher than the bottom surface of the tank.

4. 4. The steamer according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the pump sucks the liquid up from the bottom of the tank through a suction pipe.

5. 5. The steamer according to claim 2, wherein a valve member is provided midway along the liquid passage from the tank to the vaporization chamber.

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