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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steam generator, comprising a housing, wherein the housing comprises:
 a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein:   the first chamber and the second chamber are defined in the housing via a dividing wall, the dividing wall being provided with a communication groove to make the first chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber; and   the first chamber is provided with a water inlet and the second chamber is provided with a steam outlet;   a heating element formed in the housing and configured to heat and vaporize water in the housing into steam; and   a barrier wall provided in the first chamber and configured to block circular steam flow and water flow in the first chamber, wherein the barrier wall comprises a first side and a second side, the first side connecting an inner surface of the first chamber and the second side connecting an outer surface of the second chamber, and wherein the barrier wall is positioned adjacent to the communication groove such that the circular steam flow and water flow are blocked at the communication groove, wherein   the first chamber, the second chamber and the barrier wall together form a flow passage extending from the water inlet to the steam outlet such that the steam in the housing flows through flow passage from the first chamber to the second chamber via the communication groove and then to the steam outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber, the 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 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
 multiple gain structures configured to increase heat exchange area and adsorb water scale in the housing, at least one of the multiple gain structures having a column shape provided on a top wall of the housing and extending downward into the first chamber and/or the second chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         5 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the dividing wall is formed as an annular piece to make the first chamber surround the second chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet is located at a side of the barrier wall facing away from the communication groove. 
     
     
         7 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam generated in the first chamber forms steam cyclonic airflow from the first chamber to the second chamber via the communication groove. 
     
     
         8 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         9 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first side and/or the second side is substantially vertical relative to a horizontal base of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         11 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet and the communication groove are located at a same side of the barrier wall. 
     
     
         12 . The steam generator according to  claim 11 , 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. 
     
     
         13 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the free end of the second water inlet pipe is spirally wound around the dividing wall in the circumferential direction. 
     
     
         14 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the second water inlet pipe has a plurality of first water outlet holes spaced apart. 
     
     
         15 . The steam generator according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of first water outlet holes are substantially evenly spaced in a side of the second water inlet pipe adjacent to the dividing wall. 
     
     
         16 . The steam generator according to  claim 12 , wherein the free end of the second water inlet pipe is configured as a water outlet end. 
     
     
         17 . The steam generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam generator further comprises multiple scale containing structures, and at least one of the multiple scale containing structures is provided in the second chamber and/or the first chamber and configured to adsorb water scale from steam in the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The steam generator according to  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the multiple scale containing structures is a mesh grille, a strip grille or a columnar grille. 
     
     
         19 . The steam generator according to  claim 18 , wherein the mesh grille and/or the strip grille are provided in the first chamber, and two ends of the mesh grille and/or two ends of the strip grille are connected to the inner surface of the first chamber and the outer surface of the second chamber respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The steam generator according to  claim 18 , wherein the columnar grille is located in the first chamber and/or the second chamber, and comprises a plurality of extending strips extending substantially in a radial direction from the outer surface of the second chamber to the inner surface of the first chamber.