Steam generator
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
InventorShingo Omura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steam generator with improved safety and ease of use is provided. In this steam generator, water provided from a water tank is heated by a heater to generate a steam in a chamber, and then the steam is sprayed out through a steam channel. An overflow port is formed in the water tank such that an adequate water level is safely maintained even when an excessive amount of water is supplied into the water tank from a water inlet. The steam generator has a shutter disposed in a drain channel for water drained from the water tank through the overflow port and an interlocking mechanism for opening and closing the shutter in response to an opening and closing motion of a cover for the water inlet. This achieves good usability of the steam generator.
Claims8
A steam generator comprising:
- a housing having a steam outlet and a liquid inlet;
- a cover for said liquid inlet;
- a liquid tank accommodated in said housing and having an overflow port;
- a liquid supply channel extending between said liquid inlet and said liquid tank;
- a heater for heating a liquid provided from said liquid tank to generate a steam in a chamber formed in said housing;
- a steam channel extending from said chamber to said steam outlet;
- a drain channel for the liquid drained from said liquid tank through said overflow port;
- a shutter disposed in said drain channel;
- and
- an interlocking means for opening and closing said shutter in response to an opening and closing motion of said cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.