Portable garment steamer

Abstract

A steamer includes a housing, a power cord configured to be selectively coupled to an external power source, a battery, a fluid reservoir positioned in the housing, a reservoir heating element configured to preheat fluid in the fluid reservoir, a steam generating device operable to receive preheated fluid from the fluid reservoir and generate steam, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the steam generating device. The reservoir heating element receives power from the external power source when the power cord is in communication with the external power source. The steam generating device receives power from the battery when the power cord is unplugged from the external power source. The nozzle is configured to receive the steam from the steam generating device and discharge the steam through the nozzle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steamer for steaming an article, the steamer comprising:
 a housing;   a power cord configured to be selectively coupled to an external power source;   a battery;   a fluid reservoir positioned in the housing;   a reservoir heating element configured to preheat fluid in the fluid reservoir, the reservoir heating element receiving power from the external power source when the power cord is in communication with the external power source;   a steam generating device operable to receive preheated fluid from the fluid reservoir and generate steam, the steam generating device receiving power from the battery when the power cord is unplugged from the external power source; and   a nozzle in fluid communication with the steam generating device, the nozzle configured to receive the steam from the steam generating device and discharge the steam through the nozzle.   
     
     
         2 . The steamer of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a wand movable relative to the housing, the nozzle positioned on the wand; and   a conduit extending between the wand and the housing.   
     
     
         3 . The steamer of  claim 2 , wherein the steam generating device is positioned on the wand and the conduit provides fluid communication between the reservoir and the steam generating device. 
     
     
         4 . The steamer of  claim 2 , wherein the battery is positioned within the wand. 
     
     
         5 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is integral with the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir heating element receives power from the battery when the power cord is disconnected from the external power source. 
     
     
         8 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is charged by the external power source when the power cord is coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         9 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir heating element is configured to heat the fluid in the reservoir to a predetermined temperature below the boiling point of the fluid using power from the external power source when the power cord is in communication with the external power source. 
     
     
         10 . The steamer of  claim 9 , wherein the reservoir heating element is configured to heat the fluid in the reservoir to a temperature that is approximately five to ten degrees Celsius below the boiling point of the fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir heating element receives power from the battery when the power cord is disconnected from the external power source. 
     
     
         12 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir heating element receives power from the battery when a temperature of the fluid in the reservoir decreases below a predetermined level. 
     
     
         13 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the steam generating device receives power from the external power source when the power cord is coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         14 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the steam generating device includes a resistive heating element that is configured to heat the fluid in the steam generating device and convert the fluid into steam. 
     
     
         15 . The steamer of  claim 1 , wherein the steam generating device includes a bore and a heating element, the bore having a first end and a second end and the heating element positioned at least partially in the bore between the first and the second end, wherein fluid enters the bore from the first end, is heated by the heating element, and exits the second end of the bore as steam. 
     
     
         16 . The steamer of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump for conveying fluid from the reservoir and to the steam generating device. 
     
     
         17 . The steamer of  claim 16 , further comprising a wand movable relative to the housing and connected to the housing by a conduit, the wand including an actuator for operating the pump. 
     
     
         18 . A steamer comprising:
 a portable housing including a battery, a fluid reservoir, and a reservoir heating element configured to heat fluid in the fluid reservoir to a predetermined temperature below the boiling point of the fluid, the reservoir heating element selectively receiving power from an external power source;   a conduit in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; and   a wand movable relative to the housing and including a steam generating device and a nozzle, the steam generating device in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir via the conduit, the steam generating device receiving power from the battery to heat the fluid in the steam generating device and generate steam, the nozzle in fluid communication with the steam generating device to receive the steam and discharge the steam.   
     
     
         19 . The steamer of  claim 18 , wherein the housing includes a power cord configured to be selectively coupled to an external power source, wherein the reservoir heating element receives power from the external power source when the power cord is in communication with the external power source and the reservoir heating element receives power from the battery when the power cord is disconnected from the external power source. 
     
     
         20 . The steamer of  claim 19 , wherein the battery is charged by the external power source when the power cord is coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         21 . The steamer of  claim 18 , wherein the reservoir heating element is configured to heat the fluid in the fluid reservoir to a temperature that is approximately five to ten degrees Celsius below the boiling point of the fluid. 
     
     
         22 . The steamer of  claim 18 , wherein the steam generating device includes a resistive heating element that is configured to heat the fluid in the steam generating device and convert the fluid into steam. 
     
     
         23 . The steamer of  claim 18 , wherein the steam generating device includes a bore and a heating element, the bore having a first end and a second end and the heating element being positioned between the first end and the second end, wherein fluid enters the bore from the first end, is heated by the heating element and converted to steam, and exits the second end of the bore. 
     
     
         24 . The steamer of  claim 18 , wherein the housing includes a pump for conveying fluid from the reservoir, through the conduit, and into the steam generating device. 
     
     
         25 . The steamer of  claim 24 , wherein the wand includes an actuator for operating the pump. 
     
     
         26 . A steamer for steaming an article, the steamer comprising:
 a housing;   a power cord configured to be selectively coupled to an external power source;   a battery;   a fluid reservoir positioned in the housing;   a reservoir heating element for heating fluid in the reservoir to a predetermined temperature below the boiling point of the fluid, the reservoir heating element receiving power from the external power source when the power cord is in communication with the external power source;   a conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir;   a wand coupled to the second end of the conduit and movable relative to the housing;   an atomizer operable to receive fluid from the fluid reservoir and generate a spray; and   a nozzle in fluid communication with the atomizer, the nozzle configured to receive the spray from the atomizer and discharge the spray through the nozzle.   
     
     
         27 . The steamer of  claim 26 , wherein the reservoir heating element receives power from the battery when the power cord is disconnected from the external power source. 
     
     
         28 . The steamer of  claim 26 , wherein the atomizer receives power from the battery. 
     
     
         29 . The steamer of  claim 26 , wherein the battery is charged by the external power source when the power cord is coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         30 . The steamer of  claim 26 , wherein the reservoir heating element is configured to heat and maintain the fluid in the reservoir at a temperature that is approximately five to ten degrees Celsius below the boiling point of the fluid. 
     
     
         31 . The steamer of  claim 26 , wherein the atomizer is a piezoelectric atomizer. 
     
     
         32 . The steamer of  claim 26 , further comprising a pump for conveying fluid from the reservoir, through the conduit and to the atomizer, wherein the wand includes an actuator for actuating the pump. 
     
     
         33 . A method of generating steam in a steamer comprising:
 receiving fluid in a reservoir including a heating element;   preheating the fluid using power from an external power source until the fluid is a predetermined temperature below a boiling temperature of the fluid;   conveying the preheated fluid to a steam generating device;   heating the fluid in the steam generating device to form steam, the steam generating device using power from a battery when the steamer is unplugged from the external power source; and   discharging the steam through a nozzle.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising, when the reservoir heating element is disconnected from the external power source, using power from the battery to preheat the fluid in the reservoir. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising, when the steam generating device is connected to the external power source, using power from the external power source to heat the fluid in the steam generating device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising charging the battery using power from the external power source. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein preheating the fluid includes heating the fluid in the reservoir to a temperature that is approximately five to ten degrees Celsius below the boiling temperature of the fluid.