Steam generator for household appliances and the like, particularly for air humidifiers

Abstract

 A steam generator for household appliances and the like comprising a water container (1) and an electrical heating source consisting of a lamp (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention is related to steam generators for household appliances and the like applications, comprising a water container and an electrical heating source.

[0002] Traditionally such an electrical heating source consists of one or more resistors requiring a relatively high power and, thus, consumption.

[0003] In the case of application to household appliances requiring neither an instantaneous steam production (such as in the case of coffee maker machines, steam irons etc.) nor the production of great amounts of steam (as in the case of steam brooms and the like), it would be desirable providing an electrical heating source requiring a lower amount of power.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a steam generator of the above-referenced type which enables fulfilling the above need, at the same time making available a new and useful function.

[0005] According to the invention this object is achieved by a steam generator of the type set forth at the beginning, the primary feature of which resides in that the electrical heating source consists of a lamp.

[0006] A particularly advantageous application of the steam generator according to the invention is to an air humidifier apparatus which, by virtue of the presence of the heating lamp, shall also provide the function of a lighting device, which is particularly useful whenever the humidifier is intended to be employed within a nursery or children's room.

[0007] The invention will now be disclosed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, purely provided by way of non limiting example, showing a partial cross section of an air humidifier apparatus equipped with a steam generator according to the invention.

[0008] Referring to the drawing, a steam generator according to the invention consists of a basin vessel 1 designed to contain an amount of water 2 which has to be vaporised by means of an electrical heating source consisting, according to the invention, of a lamp 3.

[0009] The lamp 3 may consist of a usual incandescent lamp, for instance of the halide vapour or discharge type, and conveniently characterised by a low power (for instance, in the case of the application shown in the drawing, a power of 35W).

[0010] The lamp 3 is sealingly insulated within a waterproof envelop 4 made of a high thermally conductive material, even completely or partially transparent.

[0011] The water container 1 may be open superiorly or, as in the case of the shown example, it can be closed by a releasable cover 5, also conveniently transparent, provided with a steam outlet nozzle 6. This arrangement corresponds to that of an air humidifier apparatus which, due to the provision of the lamp 3 as the electrical heating source, is further adapted to accomplish a useful lighting function.

[0012] Moreover, the lamp advantageously performs a task of heating the environmental air and provides the additional advantage, due to the fact that it is intrinsically provided with a safety device against overheating, to avoid the need of equipping the steam generator with a thermostatic switch.

[0013] The steam generator according to the invention can be conveniently applied not only to an air humidifier but also to small household appliances requiring the generation of small amounts of steam, possibly even renouncing to the lighting function provided by the lamp as an electrical heating source. An additional example of such an application may consist of a bag for garment ironing.

[0014] Naturally, the details of construction and the embodiments may be widely varied with respect to what has been disclosed and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention such as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A steam generator for household appliances and like apparatus, comprising a water container (1) and an electrical heating source (3), characterised in that said electrical heating source is a lamp (3).

2. Steam generator according to claim 1, characterised in that it is applied to an air humidifier.

3. Steam generator according to claim 1, characterised in that it is applied to a bag for garment ironing.

4. Air humidifier comprising a water container (1) and an electrical heating source (3), characterised in that said electrical heating source is a lamp (3).

5. Air humidifier according to claim 4, characterised in that said lamp (3) is fitted within a watertight and at least partially transparent housing (4) arranged within said water container (1).

6. Air humidifier according to claim 5, characterised in that said container (1) is provided with an at least partially transparent cover (5).

Drawing