Steam generator, steam generator system and household appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steam generator ( 100 ), a steam generator system ( 1000 ) and a household appliance. The steam generator ( 100 ) includes: a housing ( 1 ), wherein at least two chambers spaced apart from each other are defined in the housing ( 1 ), the at least two chambers are in communication with each other via a communication groove ( 21 ) respectively, and two chambers thereof are provided with a water inlet ( 13 ) and a steam outlet ( 14 ) respectively; a heating element ( 3 ) formed in the housing ( 1 ) and used to heat and vaporize water in the housing into steam; and a flow passage formed in the housing ( 1 ) extending from the water inlet ( 13 ) to the steam outlet ( 14 ) via the at least two chambers.

1 . A steam generator, comprising:
 a housing, wherein at least two chambers spaced apart from each other are defined in the housing, the at least two chambers are in communication with each other via a communication groove, and two chambers of the at least two chambers are provided with a water inlet and a steam outlet respectively;   a heating element formed in the housing and used to heat and vaporize water in the housing into steam; and   a flow passage formed in the housing and extending from the water inlet to the steam outlet via the at least two chambers.   
     
     
         2 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber are defined in the housing, the third chamber and the second chamber are provided in the housing side by side, the first chamber is defined between side walls of the third chamber and the second chamber and an inner side wall of the housing, the first chamber is in communication with the third chamber via a first communication groove, and the third chamber is in communication with the second chamber via a second communication groove. 
     
     
         3 . The steam generator according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating element is provided on side walls of the third chamber and the second chamber to heat the first chamber, the second chamber and the third chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The steam generator according to  claim 2 , wherein the water inlet is in communication with the first chamber, and the steam outlet is in communication with the second chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are defined in the housing via a dividing wall, at least one communication groove is provided in the dividing wall to make the first chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber, the water inlet is in communication with the first chamber, the steam outlet is in communication with the second chamber, and the heating element is provided on the dividing wall to heat the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The steam generator according to  claim 5 , wherein the dividing wall is formed as a plate-shape piece to separate the first chamber and the second chamber, and make the first chamber and the second chamber arranged side by side in a left-and-right direction. 
     
     
         7 . The steam generator according to  claim 5 , wherein the dividing wall is formed as an annular piece to make the first chamber surround the second chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The steam generator according to  claim 7 , wherein the flow passage comprises a sub flow passage, at least one sub flow passage is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber, a barrier wall is provided in the at least one sub flow passage to reduce a flow velocity of the fluid, and barrier wall is provided adjacent to the communication groove. 
     
     
         9 . The steam generator according to  claim 8 , wherein the first chamber is provided with the barrier wall to reduce the flow velocity of the fluid, and the barrier wall is provided adjacent to the communication groove. 
     
     
         10 . The steam generator according to  claim 9 , wherein the water inlet is located at a side of the barrier wall facing away from the communication groove. 
     
     
         11 . The steam generator according to  claim 10 , wherein the steam generator further comprises a first water inlet pipe in communication with the water inlet, and a water outlet end of the first water inlet pipe extends into the first chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The steam generator according to  claim 9 , wherein the water inlet and the communication groove are located at a same side of the barrier wall. 
     
     
         13 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the steam generator further comprises a second water inlet pipe in communication with the water inlet, a free end of the second water inlet pipe extends from a side of the barrier wall adjacent to the communication groove to the other side of the barrier wall after encircling the dividing wall in a circumferential direction thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The steam generator according to  claim 13 , wherein the second water inlet pipe has a plurality of first water outlet holes spaced apart. 
     
     
         15 . The steam generator according to  claim 13 , wherein the free end of the second water inlet pipe is configured as a water outlet end. 
     
     
         16 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the steam generator further comprises a third water inlet pipe in communication with the water inlet, and a water outlet end of the third water inlet pipe extends into a side of the first chamber facing away from the communication groove after passing through the barrier wall. 
     
     
         17 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the steam generator further comprises a fourth water inlet pipe in communication with the water inlet, a free end of the fourth water inlet pipe is closed, the fourth water inlet pipe passes through the barrier wall and extends in a circumferential direction of the dividing wall, and a plurality of second water outlet holes is formed in a length direction of the fourth water inlet pipe and spaced apart. 
     
     
         18 . The steam generator according to  claim 7 , wherein steam generated in the first chamber forms steam cyclonic airflow after entering the second chamber via the communication groove. 
     
     
         19 . The steam generator according to  claim 18 , wherein an extending direction of the communication groove is tangent to an inner circumferential wall surface of the second chamber, such that the steam generated in the first chamber tangentially enters the second chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The steam generator according to  claim 7 , wherein the communication groove is formed in an upper portion of the dividing wall and is adjacent to a top wall of the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The steam generator according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating element further comprises an electrical terminal, and the electrical terminal is embedded in the barrier wall and exposed via a through hole in a side wall of the housing corresponding to the barrier wall. 
     
     
         22 . The steam generator according to  claim 5 , wherein the heating element heats the second chamber and the first chamber simultaneously. 
     
     
         23 . The steam generator according to  claim 5 , wherein the heating element is embedded in an interior of the dividing wall, an inner wall surface or an outer wall surface of the dividing wall. 
     
     
         24 . The steam generator according to  claim 23 , wherein the heating element is helically in a circumferential direction of the dividing wall and is provided in the dividing wall. 
     
     
         25 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a base and a cover used to seal the base; wherein the water inlet and the steam outlet are both provided in the cover. 
     
     
         26 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam generator further comprises at least one temperature controller provided on an outer surface of the housing, and the temperature controller controls energization and de-energization of the heating element according to a temperature of the housing. 
     
     
         27 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , further comprises at least one fuse, each fuse comprises a second temperature sensor, the fuse is provided on an outer surface of the housing to make the second temperature sensor detect a temperature of the housing, and when the second temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the housing is greater than a predetermined value, the fuse controls the heating element to be de-energized. 
     
     
         28 . A steam generator system, comprising:
 a water tank;   a steam generator according to  claim 1 ; and   a water pump pumping water in the water tank into the housing continuously.   
     
     
         29 . A household appliance, comprising the steam generator system according to  claim 28 . 
     
     
         30 . The household appliance according to  claim 29 , wherein the household appliance is configured as a vacuum cleaner, a garment steamer, a range hood, a coffee maker, a washing machine, an air conditioner or a microwave oven.