Steamer

Abstract

To provide a steamer having a large tank without a large outer shell.SOLUTION: A steamer 1 comprises: a tank assembly 21 for storing water; a vaporization chamber 16 for generating steam from water; a steam button 34 for continuously jetting the steam; a transmission mechanism that controls water supply from the tank assembly 16 to the vaporization chamber 21 by a press down operation of the steam button 34. The transmission mechanism is provided inside the tank assembly 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a steamer described in Patent Document 1 is known as a steamer that ejects steam to remove wrinkles from clothing and the like. In the steamer described in Patent Document 1, by pulling a steam lever (38), a transmission body (49) moves up and down (rotates), and in conjunction with this, a dropping rod (48) rises, a needle valve (52) opens, and water flows from a dropping port (26) of a tank assembly (17) through the needle valve (52) into a vaporization chamber (11). The water that reaches the vaporization chamber (11) is vaporized there, and steam is ejected from the bottom surface of a steam body (1) through steam holes (12) onto clothing and the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the steamer of Patent Document 1, the transmission body (49) and the dropping rod (48) are provided outside the tank assembly (17). In order to secure a space for providing the transmission body (49) and the dropping rod (48) without increasing the overall size of the steamer, it was necessary to miniaturize the tank assembly (17).

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a steamer with a larger tank without increasing the size of the outer casing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The steamer of the present invention comprises a tank for storing liquid, a vaporization chamber for generating steam from the liquid, a steam button for continuously ejecting the steam, and a transmission mechanism for controlling the supply of the liquid from the tank to the vaporization chamber by operating the steam button, wherein the transmission mechanism is disposed inside the tank. The transmission mechanism comprises a transmission body extending in the front-rear direction of the tank, and the transmission body is positioned diagonally with respect to a virtual center line in the width direction of the tank. It is characterized by having this feature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the steamer of the present invention, there is no need to secure space for a transmission mechanism outside the tank, so the tank can be made larger. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a steamer, plug unit, and stand according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a right and left side view of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a left side view of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the steam button, shot button, and surrounding area of ​​a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged view of a partial longitudinal section of a steamer in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged view of a partial longitudinal section of a steamer in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows the storage space, etc., of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a view of a cross-section of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention, seen from below. [Figure 11] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure of the steam button and shot button of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure of the steam button and shot button of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure of the steam button and shot button of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a view from above of the inside of the handle of a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the steamer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Not all of the configurations described below are essential requirements of the present invention.

[0010] Figures 1 to 14 show one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the steamer 1 includes a plug unit 2 that supplies power to the steamer 1 and a stand 3 on which the steamer 1 is placed. The plug unit 2 is configured to be detachable from either the steamer 1 or the stand 3. Hereafter, the side with the water inlet cover 33 (described later) will be referred to as the front of the steamer 1, the side with the power switch 19 (described later) will be referred to as the rear of the steamer 1, Figure 2 will show the right side of the steamer 1, and Figure 3 will show the left side of the steamer 1.

[0011] Steamer 1 has a main body 4 and a handle 5 integrally formed with the main body 4. The main body 4 and the handle 5 are connected by a front connecting part 6 and a rear connecting part 7. Therefore, steamer 1 is a so-called closed-handle type, with the rear of the handle 5 connected to the main body 4, and a gripping space 8, which is roughly elliptical in side view, is formed between the main body 4 and the handle 5. Note that the main body 4, the handle 5, the front connecting part 6, and the rear connecting part 7 are integrated by an outer shell 9, which is the outer casing, and there is no clear boundary between them.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 4 includes a metal base 12 embedded with a heater 11 as a heating means at the lower part. The base 12 has a configuration in which a base plate 14 serving as a hanging surface member is provided on the bottom surface of a base substrate 13 made of a die-cast molded product, and is closely fixed to the base substrate 13 by a fastening member 15 fixed to the base plate 14. Inside the base 12, a vaporization chamber 16 is formed in the vicinity of the heater 11, and a plurality of steam holes 17 communicating with the vaporization chamber 16 are formed to open on the base plate 14 forming the lower surface of the base 12. Further, the base 12 includes a steam cover 18 serving as a metal plate-shaped upper lid, and the upper surface of the vaporization chamber 16 is formed by the steam cover 18 attached and fixed to the base substrate 13.

[0013] A power switch 19 and a thermostat 20 connected to the heater 11 are provided in the vaporization chamber 16. When the power switch 19 is turned on, the temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 is detected by the thermostat 20, and based on this detection, the energization of the heater 11 is sequentially controlled. By such control, the temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 is maintained at approximately 160°C which is substantially constant. Note that the set temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 may be set to a temperature other than 160°C.

[0014] From the inside of the front connection portion 6 to the inside of the main body 4 located below the gripping space portion 8, a tank assembly 21 corresponding to a tank for storing liquid is provided. The tank assembly 21 is all composed of a tank cover 22 made of resin and a tank base 23, and by attaching and fixing the tank base 23 so as to cover the bottom opening of the tank cover 22, a liquid storage space 24 is formed inside the tank assembly 21. Further, below the tank base 23, a path forming body 27 for forming a steam path 25 through which water as a steam liquid flows and a shot path 26 through which water as a shot liquid flows is attached. The space between the tank base 23 and the path forming body 27 becomes the steam path 25 and the shot path 26 (see FIG. 5).

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a check valve 29 made of silicone resin is provided on the top surface portion 28 on the front side of the tank cover 22. This check valve 29 enables air to be taken into the inside of the tank assembly 21. As will be described later, when the water in the tank assembly 21 flows into the steam path 25 or the shot path 26, air is taken into the inside of the tank assembly 21 from the check valve 29. The check valve 29 is disposed at a position below the shot button 35. The check valve 29 has a circular opening 30 located outside the tank assembly 21 and a cut-like linear opening 31 located inside the tank assembly 21. When the storage space 24 becomes negative pressure, air flows in from the circular opening 30, and the check valve 29 elastically deforms to enlarge the opening of the linear opening 31, so that air is taken into the inside of the tank assembly 21. On the other hand, when the storage space 24 is at the same pressure as the atmospheric pressure, the linear opening 31 is hardly open, and it is difficult for the water in the storage space 24 to flow out from the linear opening 31 to the outside. The check valve 29 is provided on the top surface portion 28 which is the highest position of the tank assembly 21, and it is difficult for waterlogging to occur unless it is tilted so that the front side of the steamer 1 is on the lower side.

[0016] A water injection port 32 directly communicating with the storage space 24 is provided in the front connection portion 6. The water injection port 32 is provided with a water injection port lid 33 that can be manually opened and closed. By raising the water injection port lid 33 to the front side to open the water injection port 32, water, which is a liquid, can be stored in the tank assembly 21 (storage space 24) or unnecessary water in the tank assembly 21 (storage space 24) can be discarded.

[0017] A steam button 34 and a shot button 35 are arranged side by side on the front part of the handle 5 (the upper part of the front connection part 6). Both the steam button 34 and the shot button 35 can be pressed down. When the steam button 34 is pressed and held down, steam continuously comes out of the steam hole 17. When the shot button 35 is pressed down and then released, a predetermined amount of steam comes out of the steam hole 17 for a short time. In this invention, the term "steam button" is not limited to buttons named "steam button," but any button that is used to continuously release steam is considered a "steam button," even if it has a different name. Similarly, in this invention, the term "shot button" is not limited to buttons named "shot button," but any button that is used to release steam for a short time in a single burst is considered a "shot button," even if it has a different name.

[0018] The storage space 24 is equipped with a transmission mechanism that transmits the force applied when the steam button 34 is operated, causing the water in the storage space 24 to flow into the steam path 25. The transmission mechanism mainly consists of a transmission rod 41 connected to the steam button 34, a transmission body 42 which is a swinging body, a support cylinder 43 which supports the middle part of the transmission body 42, and a dripping rod 44 which is a movable body. As shown in Figure 7, the upper part of the transmission rod 41 is positioned outside the tank assembly 21, and the lower part is positioned in the storage space 24.

[0019] As mainly shown in Figures 7 to 9, the steam button 34 is biased upward by a compression coil spring 45, which is a biasing means. A transmission rod 41 is inserted through the compression coil spring 45, and the lower end of the compression coil spring 45 abuts against a spring stopper 46 provided in the middle of the transmission rod 41. The upper end of the compression coil spring 45 abuts against the connecting portion 47 of the steam button 34, which is connected to the transmission rod 41. In other words, the compression coil spring 45 is positioned between the connecting portion 47 and the spring stopper 46. When the steam button 34 is not pressed down, the compression coil spring 45 is in an extended state, and when the steam button 34 is pressed down, the compression coil spring 45 becomes compressed. Therefore, when the steam button 34 is pressed down, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 45 is transmitted to the spring stopper 46, and the transmission rod 41 moves downward. The compression coil spring 45 and the spring stopper 46 are also part of the transmission mechanism.

[0020] The transmission body 42 extends in the front-rear direction of the tank assembly 21 and has an elongated rectangular bottom plate portion 48 and a wall portion 49 erected from the outer circumference of the bottom plate portion 48. The wall portion 49 is formed flat against the bottom plate portion 48 and ensures the strength of the transmission body 42. In addition, since the transmission body 42 comes into contact with water, it is made of stainless steel, which is resistant to rust.

[0021] The front, middle, and rear portions of the transmission body 42 each have through holes, namely a front hole 50, a middle hole 51, and a rear hole 52. The transmission rod 41 is connected to the front portion with the rod inserted through the front hole 50. A support cylinder 43, which is suspended downward from the inner wall of the tank cover 22, is inserted through the middle hole 51. A retaining member 53, which is located below the transmission body 42, is fixed to the support cylinder 43 by a screw 54. The retaining member 53 and the screw 54 are also part of the transmission mechanism. In addition, a pair of plate-shaped ribs 55 are formed on the left and right sides of the support cylinder 43. The dripping rod 44 is connected to the rear portion with the rod inserted through the rear hole 52. When the transmission rod 41 moves upward, the front portion of the transmission body 42 moves upward and the rear portion moves downward, with the support cylinder 43 acting as a pivot point. On the other hand, when the transmission rod 41 moves downward, the front part moves downward and the rear part moves upward, with the support cylinder 43 acting as a fulcrum. In other words, the front part of the transmission body 42 functions as the point of force application, the middle part as the fulcrum, and the rear part as the point of application, causing the transmission body 42 to swing (rotate) like a seesaw. The distance from the front hole 50 to the middle hole 51 is longer than the distance from the middle hole 51 to the rear hole 52, which increases the moment of force on the point of force application when pressing down the steam button 34. Therefore, even if the steam button 34 is pressed down with little force, the rear part of the transmission body 42 can be lifted. A predetermined gap (about 2-3 mm) is formed between the rib 55 of the support cylinder 43 and the transmission body 42, so that the vertical movement of the transmission body 42 is limited to a predetermined range.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the upper portion of the dripping rod 44 is inserted through a guide tube portion 56 that is suspended downward from the inner wall of the tank cover 22. The guide tube portion 56 is inserted through a compression coil spring 57, which is a biasing means that biases the rear portion of the transmission body 42 downward. This compression coil spring 57 is disposed between the tank cover 22 and the bottom plate portion 48 of the transmission body 42. The dripping rod 44 also has a needle 58 integrally formed at its lower end and a rod sleeve 59 as a water-stopping member attached to the lower part of the dripping rod 44. The guide tube portion 56, compression coil spring 57, needle 58, and rod sleeve 59 are also part of the transmission mechanism.

[0023] A bottom hole 60, which is a hole that penetrates the tank base 23, is formed in the rear portion of the tank base 23. A needle valve 62, which serves as a valve body, is attached to the periphery 61 of the bottom hole 60. The needle valve 62 has a drip port 63 that penetrates vertically, and the needle 58 of the drip rod 44 is inserted into this drip port 63, causing the rod sleeve 59 and the needle valve 62 to come into close contact and close the drip port 63. On the other hand, when the drip rod 44 moves upward, the rod sleeve 59 and the needle valve 62 separate, causing the drip port 63 to open. As shown in Figure 10, the bottom hole 60 and the drip port 63 are located on a virtual center line L1 that passes through the center of the tank assembly 21 in the left-right direction (width direction). In this embodiment, the virtual centerline L1 is the left-right (width) centerline of the tank assembly 21 and the left-right (width) centerline of the steamer 1. However, it is not actually formed on the steamer 1, but rather indicates the approximate center position of the tank assembly 21 in the left-right (width) direction. In this embodiment, since the tank assembly 21 has a substantially symmetrical shape, the virtual centerline L1 is defined as the approximate center position of the tank assembly 21 in the left-right (width) direction. However, depending on the shape of the tank assembly 21, the virtual centerline L1 may be defined as a line that divides the storage space 24 into left and right sections so that the capacity of the storage space 24 is approximately the same.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the transmission rod 41 and the front hole 50, and the support cylinder 43 and the intermediate hole 51 are located to the right of the virtual center line L1, while the dripping rod 44 and the rear hole 52 are located on the virtual center line L1. Therefore, the virtual straight line L2 passing through the front hole 50, the intermediate hole 51, and the rear hole 52 forms a predetermined angle θ (θ≠0°) with respect to the virtual center line L1. In other words, the transmission body 42 is arranged diagonally at an angle θ with respect to the virtual center line L1, which is the center line extending in the front-rear direction of the steamer 1. Note that the virtual straight line L2 is not actually formed in the steamer 1, but rather indicates the positional relationship between the front hole 50, the intermediate hole 51, and the rear hole 52.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5 and 11-13, the storage space 24 is provided with a water intake mechanism that allows water from the storage space 24 to flow into the shot path 26 when the shot button 35 is pressed down. The water intake mechanism mainly consists of a compression coil spring 71, which is a biasing means that biases the shot button 35 upward, a piston 72 that draws up water, and a tubular water intake pipe 73 that allows water to flow into the piston 72. The water intake pipe 73 extends from the piston 72, which is located below the shot button 35, in a rearward direction along the tank base 23, and the suction port 74 formed at the rear end of the water intake pipe 73 is located close to the rear end of the tank assembly 21 and close to the virtual centerline L1 of the tank assembly 21. The suction port 74 may also be located on the virtual centerline L1.

[0026] The water intake pipe 73 is positioned to the left of the transmission body 42 and the virtual center line L1. However, if, for example, the steam button 34 and the shot button 35 are positioned in reverse, the water intake pipe 73 will be positioned to the right of the transmission body 42 and the virtual center line L1. The water intake pipe 73 has a bent portion 75 formed on its rear side that bends toward the virtual center line L1. This bent portion 75 positions the suction port 74 close to the virtual center line L1 and also brings it closer to the drip port 63. By forming multiple bent portions 75, the suction port 74 can be positioned at a desired location. Alternatively, the water intake pipe 73 may be positioned diagonally to the virtual center line L1, bringing the suction port 74 closer to the virtual center line L1, the rear end of the tank assembly 21, or the drip port 63.

[0027] As shown in Figure 5, the steam path 25 and the shot path 26 merge at a confluence 36. Below the confluence 36 (downstream side), an inflow prevention mechanism 76 is provided to prevent water from flowing into the vaporization chamber 16 when the base 12 is below its vaporization temperature. The inflow prevention mechanism 76 mainly consists of a bimetallic strip 77, which is a heat-sensitive responder that deforms when it senses the temperature of the base 12, and an on-off valve 78 that opens and closes the passage in response to the bimetallic strip 77. The bimetallic strip 77 is housed in a concave bimetallic strip housing chamber 79 provided on the upper surface of the base body 13. When the base 12 is below the vaporization temperature of the liquid, the bimetallic strip 77 returns to its original state, and the on-off valve 78 moves in a direction that closes the passage. When the base 12 is above the vaporization temperature of the liquid, the bimetallic strip 77 reverses, and the on-off valve 78 moves in a direction that opens the passage. When the passage is opened, water that has been flowing through the steam path 25 or the shot path 26 is dripped into the vaporization chamber 16.

[0028] Here, we will explain the water flow when using steam. First, when the user presses down the steam button 34, the transmission rod 41 moves downward along with the steam button 34. As the transmission rod 41 moves downward, the front side of the transmission body 42 is pushed downward with the support cylinder 43 as the fulcrum, and the rear side of the transmission body 42 is lifted upward against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 57. As a result, the dripping rod 44 connected to the rear part of the transmission body 42 moves upward, creating a gap between the rod sleeve 59 and the needle valve 62. That is, the dripping port 63 opens, and water from the storage space 24 flows into the steam path 25 through this opening. The water in the steam path 25 flows into the vaporization chamber 16 via the inflow prevention mechanism 76. The water that has turned into steam (vapor) in the vaporization chamber 16 is released to the outside through the steam hole 17. While the steam button 34 is pressed, the drip port 63 remains open, allowing for continuous steam release. However, when the steam button 34 is released, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 45 causes the steam button 34 to move upward, and the biasing force of the compression coil spring 57 causes the rear side of the transmission body 42 to move downward. As a result, the steam button 34 returns to its initial position, the drip rod 44 moves downward to close the drip port 63, and the steam release stops.

[0029] On the other hand, to explain the water flow when using the shot function, first, with the shot button 35 in its initial position (Figure 11), the user presses down the shot button 35 (Figure 12). When the user releases their finger from the shot button 35, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 71 causes the shot button 35 to move upward and return to its initial position. At this time, the piston 72 draws water from the storage space 24 through the intake port 74 (Figure 13), which flows through the water intake pipe 73 and into the shot path 26. The water in the shot path 26 flows into the vaporization chamber 16 via the inflow prevention mechanism 76, where it becomes steam and is released to the outside through the steam hole 17. In other words, the shot button 35 is designed to release a predetermined amount of steam with a single press. When the user presses down the shot button 35 again and releases their finger, another predetermined amount of steam is released.

[0030] As mainly shown in Figures 4 and 14, a hollow space 81 communicating with the storage space 24 is formed inside the front of the handle 5. The space 81 has an upper surface 82, a bottom surface 83, and side surfaces 84, and is formed separately from the outer shell 9. The space 81 is located behind the steam button 34 and the shot button 35. A communication hole 85, which is a communication part communicating with the storage space 24, is formed in the front of the bottom surface 83, in the central part in the left-right direction (width direction). The bottom surface 83 is an inclined part that slopes downward toward the communication hole 85, and gradually narrows toward the communication hole 85. Therefore, even if water flows into the space 81, the water can easily flow toward the communication hole 85. In this embodiment, the entire bottom surface 83 is an inclined part, but the inclined part may be formed partially, such as the area around the communication hole 85 being inclined and the other parts being flat. A replacement hole 86, which is a replacement part, is formed in the upper surface 82 of the space 81. The replacement hole 86, which is a small through hole, connects the inside and outside of the space 81 and allows air to enter and exit the space 81. The position in which the replacement hole 86 is formed can be set to a desired position, taking into consideration a position that is less likely to be flooded when water flows into the space 81. In addition, multiple replacement holes 86 may be formed. In this embodiment, a communication hole 85 is used as the communication part, but it is not limited to a hole shape, and other structures may be used as long as air can flow between the storage space 24 and the space 81. Also, although a replacement hole 86, which is a through hole, is used as the replacement part, it is not limited to a through hole, and other structures may be used as long as air can be ventilated between the inside and outside of the space 81.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, an opening / closing rod 87, which is an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the communication hole 85, is provided in the storage space 24. The opening / closing rod 87 extends parallel to the transmission rod 41, and the lower part of the transmission rod 41 and the lower part of the opening / closing rod 87 are connected by a connecting plate 88. Therefore, the transmission rod 41 and the opening / closing rod 87 move together in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 10, the opening / closing rod 87 is located on a virtual center line L1. A packing 89, which is a cylindrical water-sealing member, is attached to the upper part of the opening / closing rod 87. Above the position where the packing 89 is attached to the opening / closing rod 87, a small-diameter section 90 with a smaller diameter is formed.

[0032] When the steam button 34 is in its initial position and not pressed down, the small-diameter portion 90 is inserted into the communication hole 85, and the packing 89 contacts the peripheral edge of the communication hole 85, thereby closing the communication hole 85. On the other hand, when the steam button 34 is pressed down and the transmission rod 41 moves downward, the opening / closing rod 87 also moves downward together with the connecting plate 88, the packing 89 separates from the peripheral edge of the communication hole 85, and the communication hole 85 opens. In other words, when the water in the storage space 24 flows into the steam path 25, the communication hole 85 opens, and the air in the space 81 flows into the tank assembly 21. Although there is a possibility that water from the storage space 24 may flow into the space 81 when the communication hole 85 opens, the communication hole 85 only opens when the steam button 34 is pressed down, and since the storage space 24 is under negative pressure, air flows from the space 81 into the storage space 24, making it difficult for water to flow into the space 81. In addition, because the diameter of the communication hole 85 is small, even if water does flow into the space 81, it will be only a small amount, and it will either dry in the space 81 or return to the storage space 24 with air when the communication hole 85 opens again. Therefore, the possibility of water in the space 81 flowing out of the space 81 through the replacement hole 86 is extremely low.

[0033] The size (capacity) of the space 81 can be any desired size (capacity) as long as it can be accommodated in the handle 5. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, there is surplus space 91 inside the handle 5 in the left and right sides and the rear portion of the space 81. Therefore, it is possible to make the space 81 even larger. Also, if there is space inside the front connection part 6, etc., the space 81 may be extended into the front connection part 6, etc.

[0034] A pilot lamp 92, which is a light-emitting part, is provided in the rear portion of the surplus space 91 of the handle 5. When the power switch 19 is turned on, the heater 11 is driven and the pilot lamp 92 lights up. When the temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 reaches 160°C and stabilizes, the pilot lamp 92 turns off. When the unit is used with the plug unit 2 connected and the cord is in operation, the pilot lamp 92 lights up when the temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 drops and the heater 11 is driven, and turns off when the temperature stabilizes. Therefore, when used with the cord, the pilot lamp 92 repeatedly lights up and turns off. At least a portion of the light from the pilot lamp 92 passes through the viewing window 95, so the user can recognize that the heater 11 is raising the temperature by seeing the pilot lamp 92 lit, and recognize that the temperature of the vaporization chamber 16 has stabilized and that steam or shots can be used by seeing the pilot lamp 92 turn off. In other words, the pilot lamp 92 indicates the driving status of the steamer 1 (heater 11).

[0035] The upper surface 82 and side surface 84 of the space 81 are connected to the outer shell 9 without any gaps by a partition wall 93. The partition wall 93 forms the front wall of the excess space 91. This partition wall 93 is positioned behind the replacement hole 86. Therefore, even if water that has flowed into the space 81 flows out of the replacement hole 86 into the space 94 in front of the partition wall 93, the water will not flow into the excess space 91, and the water will not come into contact with electronic components such as the pilot lamp 92.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the left and right sides of the steamer 1 are provided with viewing windows 95 surrounding the gripping space 8. The viewing windows 95 constitute part of the outer shell 9 and are formed in an elliptical ring shape on the main body 4, the handle 5, the front connecting part 6, and the rear connecting part 7. The viewing windows 95 provided on the main body 4 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body 4 and the tank assembly 21. The viewing windows 95 provided on the handle 5 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the handle 5. Furthermore, the viewing windows 95 provided on the main body 4 are located below the gripping space 8 and on the upper part of the main body 4. The viewing windows 95 provided on the handle 5 are located above the gripping space 8 and on the slightly upper part of the handle 5 in the vertical direction. The viewing windows 95 provided on the front connecting part 6 are located in front of the gripping space 8 and on the central part of the front-to-back direction of the front connecting part 6. The viewing window 95 provided in the rear connection section 7 is located behind the gripping space section 8 and is situated in the central part of the rear connection section 7 in the front-to-back direction. Since the viewing window 95 is made of a translucent synthetic resin, it is possible to see the water in the storage space 24 and the light from the pilot lamp 92.

[0037] The lowest point 96 of the viewing window 95 is at approximately the same height as the tank base 23 of the tank assembly 21. Furthermore, the outer shell 9 of the main body 4, located below the front connection section 6 and immediately below the viewing window 95, displays the characters "―" and "MAX" 97. The character "―" 97 is a single scale mark. This indicates the upper limit (full) level of the water storage when supplying water to the storage space 24 from the water inlet 32, with the front of the steamer 1 upright, i.e., with the water inlet 32 ​​facing upwards. Additionally, the viewing window 95 of the front connection section 6 is provided with multiple scales 98, making it easier for the user to recognize the water level in the storage space 24. In other words, the characters "―" and "MAX" 97 and the scales 98 are indicators for recognizing the water level in the tidal space 24. In this embodiment, the characters "―" and "MAX" 97 are displayed only on the right side of the main body 4, but they may also be displayed only on the left side or on both sides. Furthermore, although the scale 98 is displayed only on the right side of the main unit 4, it may be displayed only on the left side, on both sides, or in the viewing window 95 of the rear connection part 7. Also, the characters "―" and "MAX" 97 may be replaced with other symbols such as arrows (not shown) as long as they indicate the upper limit (full) position of the water storage volume. In addition, other symbols such as changing the number, thickness, or length of the scale 98 may be used as long as they help in visually checking the water volume.

[0038] As described above, the steamer 1 of this embodiment comprises a tank assembly 21 for storing water, a vaporization chamber 16 for generating steam from water, a steam button 34 for continuously ejecting steam, and a transmission mechanism that controls the supply of water from the tank assembly 21 to the vaporization chamber 16 by operating the steam button 34, with the transmission mechanism being located inside the tank assembly 21. Therefore, there is no need to secure space to provide the transmission mechanism outside the tank assembly 21, and the tank assembly 21 can be enlarged without increasing the size of the outer shell 9.

[0039] Furthermore, the steamer 1 of this embodiment includes a transmission mechanism with a transmission body 42 extending in the front-rear direction of the tank assembly 21, and the transmission body 42 is positioned diagonally with respect to the virtual centerline L1 in the width direction of the tank assembly 21. As a result, even if the steam button 34 is not located above the virtual centerline L1, the drip port 63 can be positioned on the virtual centerline L1. Therefore, the steam button 34 and the shot button 35 can be arranged side by side in the lateral direction.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the steamer 1 has a transmission body 42 that can swing around the support cylinder portion 43 as a pivot point, and the support cylinder portion 43 is provided on the inner wall of the tank assembly 21. Since the support cylinder portion 43 is fixed, the pivot point does not move regardless of the position of the steamer 1, and the transmission body 42 can be reliably swung.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the steamer 1 has a compression coil spring 57 disposed between the rear portion of the transmission body 42 and the inner wall of the tank assembly 21. The rear portion of the transmission body 42 is biased downward by the compression coil spring 57, which makes it difficult for the compression coil spring 57 to shift position and ensures that the rear portion of the transmission body 42 is reliably biased.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the steamer 1 has a transmission body 42 that includes a bottom plate portion 48 and a wall portion 49 erected from the outer periphery of the bottom plate portion 48, thereby ensuring the strength of the transmission body 42.

[0043] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the main body 4 and the rear of the handle 5 are not connected, that is, it may be a so-called open-handle type steamer that does not have a rear connection part 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Steamer 16. Vaporization chamber 21 Tank Assembly (Tank) 34 Steam Buttons 41 Transmission rod (transmission mechanism) 42. Transmitters (Transmitting Mechanisms) 43. Support cylinder section (transmission mechanism, pivot point) 44. Drip rod (transmission mechanism) 45 Compression coil spring (biasing means, transmission mechanism) 46. ​​Spring stopper (transmission mechanism) 48 Bottom plate part 49 Wall 53 Retaining member (transmission mechanism) 54 Screws (Transmission Mechanism) 56 Guide tube section (transmission mechanism) 57 Compression coil spring (biasing means, transmission mechanism) 58 Needle (Transmission Mechanism) 59. Rod sleeve (transmission mechanism) L1 Virtual Centerline

Claims

1. A tank for storing liquid, A vaporization chamber that generates steam from the aforementioned liquid, A steam button that continuously emits the aforementioned steam, The system includes a transmission mechanism that controls the supply of the liquid from the tank to the vaporization chamber by operating the steam button, The transmission mechanism is installed inside the tank. The transmission mechanism comprises a transmission body extending in the front-rear direction of the tank, A steamer characterized in that the transmission body is provided at an angle to the virtual center line in the width direction of the tank.

2. The transmission body is oscillating around the pivot point, The steamer according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot point is provided on the inner wall of the tank.

3. A biasing means is provided between the rear portion of the transmission body and the inner wall of the tank. The steamer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rear portion of the transmission body is biased downward by the biasing means.

4. The steamer according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission body has a bottom plate portion and a wall portion erected from the outer peripheral portion of the bottom plate portion.

Images