Laundry treatment device having a steam generator and method for treating items to be washed

1. A laundry treatment appliance configured to selectively apply nebulized treatment agents to items placed within the appliance, the appliance comprising:

a treatment chamber configured to receive laundry items, the treatment chamber having an inlet;

a water pump;

a steam generator configured to be supplied with water from a water source by the water pump;

a switching valve configured to move between first and second positions;

a nebulizer facility arranged between the steam generator and the treatment chamber; and

a storage container configured to store laundry treatment agents, the storage container being configured to be in fluid communication with the nebulizer facility;

wherein:

the switching valve is configured to direct steam along a first line when in the first position whereby steam passes through the nebulizer facility on its way to the inlet of the treatment chamber, and to direct steam along a second line when in the second position whereby steam does not pass through the nebulizer facility on its way to the inlet of the treatment chamber;

when the switching valve is in the first position, the nebulizer facility is configured to mix treatment agents from the storage container with a steam supply generated by the steam generator and produce an aerosol prior to entry to the inlet of the treatment chamber.

2. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the nebulizer facility is a venturi nozzle.

3. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is disposed directly on the treatment chamber which is configured as a laundry drum.

4. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance further comprises a mixing zone between the switching device and the treatment chamber and a second line connecting the nebulizer facility to the mixing zone, whereby the mixing zone is configured to mix the steam carried by the first line and the aerosol into a mixture prior to the mixture entering the treatment chamber.

5. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the storage container is a removable and/or refillable container.

6. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the laundry treatment agents are solids embodied as powders.

7. The laundry treatment appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first line extends from the switching valve to the nebulizer facility, and a third line is connected downstream of the nebulizer facility and configured to deliver steam to the inlet of the treatment chamber.

8. A method for treating laundry items in a laundry treatment appliance, comprising:

providing laundry items in a treatment chamber of the laundry treatment appliance;

generating steam;

generating a treatment agent aerosol using a nebulizer;

operating a switching valve to move between a first position corresponding to a first steam line and a second position corresponding to a second steam line;

if the valve is moved to the first position, directing the steam via the first steam line directly to the treatment chamber; and

if the valve is moved to the second position:

directing the steam along the second steam line for combination with the treatment agent aerosol, creating a mixture of the treatment agent aerosol and the generated

steam.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising utilizing steam to generate the treatment agent aerosol using the nebulizer.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing a laundry treatment agent in a storage container which is configured to supply the laundry treatment agent to the nebulizer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the storage container is removable.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the storage container is refillable.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing laundry treatment agents in a solid form for use by the nebulizer in generating the aerosol.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nebulizer is venturi nozzle.