Steam cleaner

Abstract

A steam cleaner includes a steam boiler having a steam outlet, a control valve having a plug rod moved to close/open the steam outlet, a hose holding a steam tube and a steam nozzle head at one end of the steam tube for steam output control, a push bar pivoted to the steam boiler and turned between a first position where the plug rod is moved forwards to open the control valve and a second position where the plug rod is returned to close the control valve, a return spring adapted to hold the push bar in the second position, and a pull cable inserted through the hose and connected between one end of the push bar and a trigger at the steam nozzle head for pulling the push bar from the second position to the first position upon pressing of the trigger.

What the invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A steam cleaner comprising: 
 a housing injection-molded from heat-resisting plastics;    a metal steam boiler, said metal steam boiler comprising a steam outlet disposed in a top cover thereof for output of steam, an electric heating element controlled to heat water in said steam boiler into steam, and a temperature control device adapted to detect the temperature of water in said steam boiler and to control the operation of said electric heating element subject to the detected temperature condition;    a control valve installed in the steam outlet of said steam boiler and adapted to control output of steam from said steam boiler;    an electromagnetic valve installed in the top cover of said steam boiler adjacent to said control valve and controlled to close/open said control valve; and    a control switch connected to said electromagnetic valve by an electric wire and adapted to control the operation of said electromagnetic valve.    
     
     
         2 . The steam cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said control valve comprises a T-shaped casing formed of a horizontal shell and a vertical shell disposed in communication with said steam outlet of said steam boiler, a plug rod axially movably mounted in said horizontal shell and moved between a first position to close said steam outlet and a second position to open said steam outlet; said electromagnetic valve comprises a reciprocating valve rod connected to one end of said plug rod and adapted to move said plug rod between said first position and said second position.  
     
     
         3 . The steam cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said housing comprises a detachable hose disposed on the outside, said detachable hose having one end connected to the horizontal shell nozzle head for output of steam from said steam boiler.  
     
     
         4 . The steam cleaner of  claim 2  further comprising a connector fixedly fastened to one end of the horizontal shell of said control valve, and a heat-resisting high tensile steam tube inserted through said hose, said heat-resisting high tensile steam tube having one end connected to the connector at the horizontal shell of said control valve and an opposite end connected to said steam nozzle head for guiding steam from said steam boiler and said control valve to said steam nozzle head for application.  
     
     
         5 . The steam cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said control valve and said electromagnetic valve are mounted on a mount being fixedly fastened to said steam boiler by screws, said mount comprising a mounting hole disposed in communication with said steam outlet of said control valve and two flat cut faces bilaterally disposed in said mounting hole; said vertical shell of said control valve comprises an outer thread mounted with an O-ring and inserted through the mounting hole of said mount and the steam outlet of said control valve and screwed up with a lock nut inside said steam boiler, and two flat cut faces respectively forced into engagement with the flat cut faces of said mount.  
     
     
         6 . The steam cleaner of  claim 4  wherein said control switch is installed in said steam nozzle head for operation by hand to control said electromagnetic valve.  
     
     
         7 . A steam cleaner comprising a housing, a metal steam boiler mounted in said housing, said steam boiler comprising a steam outlet disposed in a top cover thereof for output of steam, an electric heating element controlled to heat water in said steam boiler into steam, a hose extended out of said housing, a steam nozzle head fixedly fastened to one end of said hose remote from said housing, a control valve mounted on a mount at said steam boiler and connected to said steam outlet of said steam boiler, a connector connected to said control valve, a steam tube inserted through said hose and connected between said connector and said steam nozzle head for guiding steam from said steam boiler and said control valve to said steam nozzle head for application, and control means controlled to close/open said control valve, wherein: 
 said control valve comprises a T-shaped casing formed of a horizontal shell and a vertical shell disposed in communication with said steam outlet of said steam boiler said horizontal shell having a front end and a rear end, a gasket ring fixedly mounted in the front end of said horizontal shell, a stopper, a plug rod axially movably mounted in said horizontal shell and extended out of the rear end of said horizontal shell, said plug rod having a front end inserted through said gasket ring and said stopper and screwed up with a nut and a neck near a rear end thereof, a plurality of O-rings respectively mounted on said neck and disposed in contact with an inside wall of said horizontal shell, and a spring mounted on said plug rod and stopped against a part of said horizontal shell to impart a backward pressure to said plug rod, causing said nut to press on said stopper against said gasket ring and to close said control valve;    said control means comprises a push bar disposed in contact with the rear end of said plug rod and controlled to move said plug rod to close/open said control valve, said push bar having a fixed end provided with a pivot hole pivotally coupled to an upright support of said mount and a free end, a trigger mounted on said steam nozzle head, a pull cable controlled by said trigger to move said push bar, said pull cable having a first end connected to the free end of said push bar and a second end inserted through said hose and connected to said trigger, and a return spring connected between the free end of said push bar and a part said mount to hold said push bar in position.