Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an improved pipe for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids, such as steam.

Background art

Cleaning machines have been long known and used to clean surface by combining a vacuum action typical of a vacuum cleaner, and the emission of a jet of a high temperature cleaning fluid, such as steam, which dissolves the dirt against which the jet is directed, completely removes it from the surface to be cleaned and then sucks it up.

These cleaning machines include a box-like body which houses therein a motor for creating the vacuum and a boiler for generating steam, typically as required by the user during operation.

Both the vacuum creating motor and the boiler are connected with outwardly- directed extension pipes, which are partially or completely flexible, and are held by the user to direct the suction port and the vacuum jets to the areas to be cleaned.

In the prior art, while these pipes have separate vacuum and delivery ducts, they are obtained by joining successive sections together, each formed of a single piece, generally by molding, to obtain a pipe of adequate length that the user will hold during use but, in spite of being formed of a single piece, they include two parallel and separate ducts.

However, this prior art has a drawback in that, when the user requires the cleaning machine to deliver one or more steam jets, as the latter pass through their respective ducts, due to their high temperature (above 1 00 °C), they overheat by conduction both the inner surface and the whole outer surface along which steam flows, and force the user to release his/her hold or use a cloth interposed between his/her hands and the pipe, and wrapped around the latter to protect his/her hands from any burn.

In an attempt to obviate this drawback, the manufacturers of these cleaning machines must either fabricate pipes with thicker walls and ducts than required for simple passage of a fluid and sucked air, which involves the use of larger amounts of plastic material during molding, or create suitable gaps in the pipes, namely between the inner surfaces thereof and the outer surface of the steam delivery duct, to be later filled with heat insulating material, which prevents heat transmission to the outer surface of the pipes that the users will hold to use the cleaning machines.

In either case, the manufacturing costs of the pipes and, as a result, the cleaning machines, increase to a considerable extent. Disclosure of the invention

One object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art.

Another object is to provide an improved pipe for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids, that can have substantially thin-wall ducts therein, and hence can have a low weight and be easily handled, and be manufactured at low cost, while preventing any danger of overheating of its outer surface and any burning of users' hands. In one aspect, the invention provides an improved pipe for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids, as defined in claim 1 . Therefore, the invention affords the following advantages: it provides improved pipes for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids that are thin, light and hence particularly inexpensive; it prevents the outer surfaces of the pipes from being overheated, at least in the areas that are usually designed to be held by users, thereby protecting their hands from burn hazards; it provides improved pipes for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids with conventional manufacturing apparatus, without making significant changes thereto.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of one preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of an improved pipe for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids, as shown as a non-limiting example with the help of the annexed drawings, in which :

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of an improved pipe for cleaning fluids using high-temperature fluids according to the invention ;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the improved pipe section of Fig. 1 .

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

Referring to the above figures, an improved pipe for cleaning machines using high-temperature fluids, is generally referenced 1 .

The improved pipe, briefly referred to hereinafter as pipe 1 , comprises a body 2, which has a straight elongated shape in the figures.

The body 2 has, defined therein, a first duct 3, generally having a larger diameter, for the passage of sucked air flows and waste in these flows, and a second duct 4 having a considerably smaller diameter than the first duct 3, which is designed for the passage of a high-temperature fluid, namely steam, ejected outwards.

A covering element 5 is applied to the outer surface of the pipe 1 , to form a grip for the hands of a user.

As shown in the figures, such cover 5 consists of a sheet 5A of pre-shaped, or shapeable material, that can conform the profile of the outer surface of the pipe 1 or, like in this particular case, a limited portion of the outer surface, and can fully adhere thereto.

Typically, the application of this sheet 5A occurs during molding of the pipe 1 , i.e. by a so-called co-molding process, whereby the improved pipe 1 is formed in a single step and ready for use.

However, the skilled person will easily understand that the sheet 5A may be also applied to the formed pipe 1 , e.g. by gluing.

The material for the sheet 5A may be selected from shapeable materials having heat insulation properties.

It shall be further noted that, in addition to protecting hands from heat, the cover 5 also creates a non-slip grip for safer holding of the pipe 1 , e.g. when hands are damp, wet or sweaty.

The sheet 5A may also have, if required, its outer surface anatomically shaped to form alternating grooves 6 and ridges 7, to form predetermined areas 8 for proper placement of fingers, with the thickness of the sheet 5A being conveniently increased in these areas for improved safety of the users. The operation of the improved pipe 1 for cleaning fluids using high- temperature fluids can be readily understood from the above description: the user safely holds the pipe 1 in his/her hand, where the cover 5 is applied and, when a steam jet is required, the user's hand is protected by the cover 5, which is formed of a heat insulating material, from the heat generated by the passage of steam in the second duct 4.

Anatomic shaping, if any, allows proper positioning of the user's hand and protection thereof in the areas 8 where the fingers contact the cover 5, even when the user inadvertently holds the improved pipe 1 during use of the cleaning machine.

The invention was found to fulfill the intended objects. The invention so conceived is susceptible to a number of changes and variants within the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts.

In practice, any materials, shapes and sizes may be used as needed, without departure from the scope of the following claims.