Cleaner

Abstract

A cleaner includes a cleaning-medium-containing section for containing a cleaning medium; a medium-transmitting section for transmitting the cleaning medium; a heating section for heating the cleaning medium transmitted from the medium-transmitting section so as to generate vapor; a vapor-jetting section for jetting the vapor toward a portion to be cleaned; and a suction section disposed in the vicinity of the vapor-jetting section in such a manner as to face the portion to be cleaned, and adapted to draw in dirt loosened on the portion to be cleaned.

1 . A cleaner comprising: 
 (a) a cleaning-medium-containing section for containing a cleaning medium;    (b) a medium-transmitting section for transmitting the cleaning medium;    (c) a heating section for receiving and heating the cleaning medium transmitted from the medium-transmitting section so as to generate vapor;    (d) a vapor-jetting section for jetting the vapor toward a portion to be cleaned; and    (e) a suction section disposed in the vicinity of the vapor-jetting section in such a manner as to face the portion to be cleaned, and adapted to draw in dirt loosened on the portion to be cleaned.    
   
   
       2 . A cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) the cleaner further comprises a vacuum generator for generating a vacuum; and    (b) the cleaner draws in the dirt via the suction section by operating the vacuum generator.    
   
   
       3 . A cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) the suction section is connected to a dust box removably attached to a body of the cleaner, and draws in the dirt through drawing in air; and the drawn-in air is led into a space within the dust box.    
   
   
       4 . A cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 (a) the air led into the space within the dust box is separated into dirt-laden water and dirt-free air by a filtering device; and    (b) the dirt-laden water is collected in the dust box.    
   
   
       5 . A cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a discharge port located in the vicinity of the vapor-jetting section and adapted to discharge a drying medium toward the portion to be cleaned.  
   
   
       6 . A cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the drying medium is formed through heating the dirt-free air separated by the filtering device.  
   
   
       7 . A cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 (a) the discharge port is connected to an air-heating path; and    (b) the dirt-free air is heated in the air-heating path.    
   
   
       8 . A cleaner according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating section and a vapor transmission pipe for sending the vapor to the vapor-jetting section are disposed in the air-heating path.  
   
   
       9 . A cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein a brush is disposed adjacent to the vapor-jetting section.  
   
   
       10 . A cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein a handle is removably attached to a body of the cleaner in order to allow the cleaner to be used in a manner similar to mopping.