ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,498,120, issued on Dec. 16, was assigned to BSH Hausgerate GmbH (Munich).

"Steam treatment appliance and method for cleaning a steam treatment appliance" was invented by Christian Clauss (Obernai, France) and Hakim Marko (Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A steam treatment appliance includes a steam treatment space, a fixed water connection, and a receiving container fillable with fresh water via the fixed water connection and having a discharge opening. Arranged outside the steam treatment space is a steam generator having a water inlet for fluidic connection to the discharge opening of the receiving containe...