Handheld steam cleaner

Abstract

A handheld steam cleaner has a housing with an integral pistol-grip handle and a nozzle. Located with the housing are a soap tank, a water reservoir, a water pump and a steam generator. A soap pump is located in the handle. A first passage leads from the water reservoir, through the water pump and the steam generator, to a steam discharge opening in the nozzle. A second passage leads from the soap tank, through the soap pump, to a soap discharge opening in the nozzle. The housing also has a body. The handle is connected with the nozzle and the body extends downwardly from the handle and the nozzle.

1 . A handheld steam cleaner comprising:
 a housing having an integral pistol-grip handle and a nozzle,   a water reservoir located with the housing,   a pump located in the housing and communicating with the water reservoir for pumping water from the reservoir,   a steam generator connected with the pump for converting the water into steam and communicating with the nozzle for discharging the steam from the steam cleaner.   
   
   
       2 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the steam generator comprises a generally cylindrical body of heat conductive material encasing a heating element and a passage passing through the body in which the water is heated and converted into the steam. 
   
   
       3 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the body of heat conductive material is disposed around the heating element. 
   
   
       4 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 2  wherein the heating element and the passage have spiral shapes within the body of heat conductive material. 
   
   
       5 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 4  wherein the spiral shapes of the heating element and the passage are concentric. 
   
   
       6 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a detergent tank located within the housing, a manually operable pump located within the housing, and detergent delivery lines for delivering detergent from the tank, through the manually operable pump, to a detergent discharge opening in the nozzle. 
   
   
       7 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the manually operable pump has a lever pivotally mounted with the handle as a mechanical trigger movable by a finger for operating the pump. 
   
   
       8 . The steam cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the detergent tank is removably positioned with the housing and coupled with a releasable catch for removing the detergent tank from the housing for filling. 
   
   
       9 . A handheld steam cleaner comprising:
 a housing with a handle portion, a nozzle portions and a body portion and in which the handle portion is connected with the nozzle portion and the body portion extends downwardly below the handle portion and the nozzle portion,   a soap tank, a water reservoir, a water pumps and a steam generator located within the body portion,   a first passage leading from the water reservoir, through the water pump and the steam generator, to a steam discharge opening in the nozzle portion,   a soap pump located in the handle portion, and   a second passage leading from the soap tank, through the soap pump, and to a soap discharge opening in the nozzle portion.   
   
   
       10 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the handle portion is a pistol-grip handle. 
   
   
       11 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the handle extends downwardly substantially parallel to the body portion. 
   
   
       12 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the soap pump includes a trigger lever on the handle portion. 
   
   
       13 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the soap discharge opening is above the steam discharge opening. 
   
   
       14 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 9  wherein the steam generator comprises a generally cylindrical body of heat conductive material encasing a heating element and a passage passing through the body in which the water is heated and converted into the steam. 
   
   
       15 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the body of heat conductive material is disposed around the heating element. 
   
   
       16 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the heating element and the passage have spiral shapes within the body of heat conductive material. 
   
   
       17 . The handheld steam cleaner of  claim 16  wherein the spiral shapes of the heating element and the passage are concentric.