AU657633B2

AU657633B2 - Spa bath and pool components

Info

Publication number: AU657633B2
Application number: AU44799/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Desmond John Berry
Original assignee: DEGA RESEARCH Pty Ltd
Current assignee: DEGA RESEARCH PTY Ltd
Priority date: 1992-08-24
Filing date: 1993-08-20
Publication date: 1995-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-20
Also published as: AU4479993A

Description

76 )3 3

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): DEGA RESEARCH PTY. LTD.

A.C.N. 005 561 633 Invention Title: SPA BATH AND POOL COMPONENTS p. P p pp p..

p.pp pp 4* pp

PP.

p. p pp The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: *o e SPA BATH AND POOL COMPONENTS This invention relates to components for spa pools or spa baths and in particular relates to the components that make up the suction port of a spa pool or *spa bath.

Spa pools or baths usually operate by use of an externally positioned pump that draws water from the base of the bath or spa via a suction port and then returns the water at high pressure through jets positioned along the side walls and base of the bath. The suction port is usually positioned near the base of the pool or bath and has a suction cover assembly positioned on the interior of the bath that acts to reduce the chance of impediments being sucked into the port. A suction line is uaually coupled to the suction port through screwthreaded couplings.

An undesirable feature of some spa baths and pools is the opportunity for water to lie in the pump or pipework when the spa or bath is not in use. This water can become stagnant and can constitute a health hazard. In o can become stagnant and can constitute a health hazard. In -~II recent years, spa bathL and pool assemblies have been designed so that when the spa assembly is not in use all the water drains from the pump and associated pipework back into the bath.

The majority of spa pools and baths have walls usually inclined to the vertical at an angle of about 120.

A problem that is encountered with a bath with an inclined wall is that the suction port couplings become inclined which tends to result in the formation of a small reservoir 10 at the join between the suction pipe and the suction port.

This reservoir does not drain when the assembly is not in use and thus its contents can become stagnant.

It is this problem that has brought about the present invention.

According to the present invention, there is provided a suction line coupling for a spa bath or spa pool comprising e. housing including an inlet pipe and a mounting flange that is arranged to be a sealed fit against the exterior of the wall of the bath or pool, the housing includes an internally threaded bore adjacent the mounting flange which is arranged to accommodate a correspondingly S. threaded boss on a flanged member that is located on the other side of the wall of the spa bath or spa pool so that threaded cooperation between the boss and the bore causes the coupling flanged member to be drawn into sealed engagement against the wall of the spa bath or spa pool, characterised in that the axis of the threaded bore is positioned below the axis of the inlet pipe and the threaded bore is provided with a cut-out that defines a passageway at the base of the coupling whereby residual water that may be in the coupling flows back into the bath or pool via the cut-out and flanged member.

Preferably the housing is formed with a downwardly inclined wall positioned beneath the cut-out, the inclination of the wall to the horizontal being greater than the inclination of the wall of the bath or pool to the vertical.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view taken through the wall of a spa illustrating the assembly of a suction line coupling, 10 Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a suction line coupling, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines B-B of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an elevational view of a bossed flange for use with the suction line coupling, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines A-A of the bossed flange of Figure 4.

Spa baths or pools include an externally mounted pump which is fed from a suction line coupling that is secured to be in fluid communication with the lower end of the spa or pool. The pump feeds a plurality of jet assemblies that are usually located in a spaced array through the sides of the spa or pool.

The suction line coupling 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is preferably moulded in plastics and comprises a cylindrical inlet pipe 11 having a central aperture 12 extending therethrough terminating at open ends 13 and 14.

In use, a suitable bung or screwthreaded closure member will be positioned at one of the ends 13 or 14 and the other end will be coupled to the suction pipe (not shown) that is in turn coupled to the pump (not shown). At the centre of the inlet pipe 11, there is formed a transversely extending housing 15 that terminates in an annular outwardly extending flange 16. The central axis of the housing 15 and flange 16 is displaced downwardly from the longitudinally axis of the inlet pipe 11. The annular flange 16 is provided with a small forwardly projecting annular shoulder 17 that operates to locate the coupling in an aperture formed in the side of the wall 8 of the bath or pool. The interior of the housing 15 is provided with an internally threaded bore 20, the axis of which is offset to the central axis of the housing. As showm, in Figures 1 and 3, the base of the housing 15 defines a downwardly 10 extending ramp 23 which extends from the base of the inlet pipe 11 downwardly to the edge of the flange 16. The threaded bore 20 is provided with an elongate arcuate cutout 21 that extends rearwardly into the housing to, as shown in Figure 2, communicate with the base of the throughway constituted by the inlet pipe 11. When the S• coupling 10 is assembled to a bath or pool, the coupling is first positioned within the aperture 9 in the pool wall 8 and sealant 7 is placed around the forwardly facing location flange 16. A bossed suction cover flange member 30 shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 has an externally threaded cylindrical boss 31 which terminates in an annular flange 32. The bossed flange member is screwed into the internally threaded bore 20 of the housing 15 until the cover member 30 is a close and firm fit against the exterior of the wall 8 of the bath or pool. The sealant 7 ensures an adequate seal. The front face of the member has three forwardly projecting lugs 37 which serve as location points for a cover member 5 which is held on the lugs 37 by screws (not shown). The flange 32 on the bossed flange member 30 is provided with a series of cut-outs or apertures 35 that are arranged in communication with the arcuate cut-out 21 formed in the internally threaded bore of the housing 15 of the coupling 10. Since the axis of the inlet member is positioned above the central axis of the housing 15 any water that may remain in the inlet member 11 flows down into the base of the housing. It then escapes dowv the ramp 23 and under the threaded bore 20 of the housing 15. It can then escape past the bossed flange member 30 through the cut-outs 35 in the flanged face 32 and into the interior of the bath. In this way, there is no likelihood of leakage from the bath to the exterior but any water remaining in the suction line flows back into the bath notwithstanding the fact that the assembly may be 1 0 mounted on an incline due to the inclination of the wall 8 of the bath or pool. To ensure that at all times water flows out of the suction coupling assembly, it is understood that the inclination of the base wall 23 of the ssembly will be between 150 and 200, namely at an angle greater than the inclination of the wall 8 of the bath or pool.

The assembly has the advantage that it is simple in construction, easy to produce and requires no special expertise in assembly. The small shoulder 17 on the flanged of the coupling allows adequate location in a circular hole in the wall of the bath. The assembly is o. designed to accommodate a variety of wall inclinations and ensures that all times water remaining in the suction line can flow back into the bath thereby avoiding the unwanted occurrence of stagnant residual water.

Claims

2. The suction line coupling according to Claim 1 o wherein the housing is formed with a downwardly inclined wall positioned beneath the cut-out, the inclination of the wall to the horizontal being arranged to be greater than the inclination of the wall of the bath or pool to the vertical.
3. The suction line coupling according to Claim 2 wherein the inclination of the downwardly inclined wall to the horizontal is between 15 and 200.
4. A suction line coupling substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures i, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. The combination of a suction line coupling -ccording to any one of the preceding claims and the flanged member wherein the threaded bore of the flanged I 8 member is arranged to be screwed into the internally threaded bore of the line coupling, and the flanged member is provided with a plurality of arcuate cut-outs, one or more of which, in use, become aligned with the cut-out in the threaded bore to allow escape of water past the flanged member into the bath or pool.
6. The combination of Claim 5 substantially as discussed herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 20th day of August 1993. SDEGA RESEARCH PTY. LTD. By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia S ABSTRACT A suction line coupling for a spa bath or spa pool comprising a housing including an inlet pipe and a mounting flange that is arranged to be a sealed fit against the exte:rior of the wall of the bath or pool, the housing including an internally threaded bore adjacent the mounting flange which is arranged to accommodate a correspondingly threaded boss on a flanged member that is located on the other side of the wall of the spa bath or spa pool so that threaded cooperation between the boss and the bore causes the coupling flanged member to be drawn into sealed engagement against the wall of the spa bath or spa pool, characterised in that the axis of the threaded bore is positioned below the axis of the inlet pipe and the threaded bore is provided with a cut-out that defines a o. passageway at the base of the coupling whereby residual water that may be in the coupling flows back into the bath or pool via the cut-out and flanged member.