Steam generator

Abstract

For use in an electric home appliance, such as steam mop or steam vacuum cleaner, a steam generator is disclosed to include an electric heater, a fluid storage tank connected to the electric heater, a pressure valve installed in the fluid storage tank and an air compression unit operable by hand, electricity or steam to pump air into the fluid storage tank to force fluid out of the fluid storage tank to the electric heater for heating into steam for application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steam generator, comprising:
 an electric heater for heating a fluid into steam, said electric heater comprising an electric heating member, a fluid inlet for guiding in a fluid to said electric heating member for heating into steam by said electric heating member and a first steam outlet for guiding out generated steam;   a fluid storage tank, said fluid storage tank comprising a fluid chamber holding a fluid, a fluid supply pipe arranged at a bottom side thereof and connected to said fluid inlet of said electric heater for guiding said fluid out of said fluid chamber into said electric heater for heating by said electric heating member;   a pressure valve mounted on the outside of said fluid storage tank and kept in communication with said fluid chamber for discharge of excessive air pressure out of said fluid storage tank; and   an air compression unit connected to the air inlet of said fluid storage tank and adapted for pumping air into said fluid chamber of said fluid storage tank to force said fluid out of said fluid chamber into said electric heater for heating into steam by said electric heating member.   
     
     
         2 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said air compression unit is a hand pump operable to pump air into said fluid chamber of said fluid storage tank. 
     
     
         3 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said hand pump comprises a housing, said housing having an air outlet located on one end thereof and connected to the air inlet of said fluid storage tank and a piston hole located on and opposite end thereof, a piston rod inserted through said piston hole in an airtight manner, and a piston fixedly connected to one end of said piston rod and axially movable with said piston rod in said housing to force air out of said housing through the air outlet of said hand pump into the air inlet and fluid chamber of said fluid storage tank. 
     
     
         4 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said fluid storage tank further comprises an air intake pipe extended from the air inlet thereof and connected to the air outlet of said housing of said hand pump. 
     
     
         5 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising an air pressure regulating valve installed in said air intake pipe for regulating the flow rate of air passing out of said air compression unit into said fluid chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said air compression unit is electrically operated. 
     
     
         7 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said air compression unit comprises an air pump and a drive adapted for driving said air pump, said air pump having an air outlet connected to the air inlet of said fluid storage tank. 
     
     
         8 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said fluid storage tank further comprises an air intake pipe extended from the air inlet thereof and connected to the air outlet of said hand pump. 
     
     
         9 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising an air pressure regulating valve installed in said air intake pipe for regulating the flow rate of air passing out of said air compression unit into said fluid chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said electric heater further comprises a second steam outlet, a steam pipe extended from said second steam outlet and connected to said air compression unit for forcing said air compression unit to pump air into the air inlet of said fluid storage tank. 
     
     
         11 . The steam generator as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said air compression unit comprises a housing, said housing comprising a partition plate transversely arranged therein on the middle, a first chamber and a second chamber defined therein and separated by said partition plate, a piston hole cut through said partition plate in communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, an air inlet located on one end of said housing in communication with said first chamber and connected to said steam pipe, and an air outlet located on an opposite end of said housing in communication with said second chamber and connected to the air inlet of said fluid storage tank, a piston rod inserted through said piston hole, and two pistons respectively fixedly connected to two distal ends of said piston rod and respectively movably accommodated in said first chamber and said second chamber for enabling said air compression unit to be driven said the steam passing out of said electric heater through said second steam outlet and said steam pipe to pump air into said fluid chamber of said fluid storage tank.