AU2004212574A1 - Rotary mixing jet assembly - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicants: ROBERT KENNETH MCNAB DESMOND JOHN BERRY Invention Title: ROTARY MIXING JET ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 ROTARY MIXING JET ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a mixing jet assembly, particularly for use in spa baths and pools and of the type capable of producing a rotating stream of fluid.

Recent developments in mixing jets for spas and pools has seen the introduction of rotating nozzles to produce a spinning jet of water which users find more therapeutic and comfortable than a stationary jet of water continuously directed to the same spot on the body.

Existing rotary spa jets usually comprise a nozzle having an eyeball shaped base cradled by a correspondingly shaped seat and supported by a radial ball bearing that allows the nozzle to rotate.

The problem with these rotating jets is that over time debris can build up on the ball bearing and adjacent components causing the nozzle to rotate less freely and eventually clog up to not rotate at all. Debris is usually in the form of sticky substances such as body oils and insoluble particles such as sand, leaves, human hair and the like.

Spa pools are treated with chemicals to maintain sanitary water conditions for the user. Ph imbalance will cause calcium insolubility which coats all surfaces with a fine layer of Calcium salts which restricts ball bearing movement.

The present invention addresses these problems by providing a rotary mixing jet assembly where the likelihood of clogging is minimised.

One aspect of the present invention provides a rotary mixing jet assembly for delivering a stream of fluid comprising: 3 a housing having a rear end, inlet port for at least one fluid and a front open end, the housing having a central axis along which a stream of fluid is directed from the inlet port towards the front end; a front member attached to the front end of the housing; and a rotator disposed inside the housing behind the front member and coaxial with the central axis, the rotator having an inlet end and an outlet end and at least one passageway therebetween that is inclined away from the central axis from the inlet end to the outlet.end, the rotator being supported at each end on the central axis so as to be capable of spinning about the central axis, wherein the rotator receives a stream of fluid from the inlet port and directs the fluid along the inclined passageway whereby the force of the stream of fluid exiting the rotator causes the rotator to spin.

The support is typically in the form of either a pin or recess on the rotator engaging with a complementary recess or pin in the housing and on the inner face of the front member.

The front member is preferably a front face plate with apertures which supports the outlet end of the rotator.

The rotator preferably comprises two inclined passageways that are relatively diverging and lead off from a central passage. The two inclined passageways are preferably angled in the same direction about the central axis.

The front face has preferably five apertures that take the shape of a cambered tear drop. The inside of the face plate is preferably provided with a pin that engages with a recess on a flange at the outlet of the rotator.

4 Preferably, a hollow stem at the inlet end of the rotator is supported axially by vanes wherein the hollow stem receives a pin supported in the housing.

The pin in the housing is preferably formed integrally with a receptor located inside the housing which receives fluid and directs it along the central axis.

The housing preferably has inlets for two fluids and in particular for water and air, that are mixed in the receptor wherein the receptor contains a venturi to accelerate the fluid flow through the mixing jet assembly.

The venturi contains a plenum chamber supported by vanes in a nozzle of the venturi, wherein the pin supported in the housing is positioned at the meeting point of the vanes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a rotary mixing jet assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the mixing jet assembly; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a receptor of the rotary mixing jet assembly; Figure 4 is a perspective view of part of a face plate of the rotary mixing jet assembly; Figure 5 is a perspective view of another part of a face plate of the rotary mixing jet assembly; 5 Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the rotator of the mixing jet assembly; Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the rotator of the mixing jet assembly; and Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary mixing jet assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The rotary mixing jet assembly 10 illustrated in the figures is a venturi-type mixing jet assembly described in earlier Australian Patent no. 773819, which is incorporated herein by reference. Components described to and referred to herein correspond to the same components described and referred to in AU 773819.

The main components of the mixing jet assembly illustrated in the drawings are a jet tube 31 and receptor a face plate 60, a receptor-retaining ring 20 and a rotator component 140, all supported in a housing 7. A mounting ring 121 around the housing and adjacent a flange of the face plate allows the assembly to be mounted in a corresponding support. Figure 8 illustrates in an exploded view the components of the mixing jet assembly in the order in which they are assembled.

The jet tube 31 and jet receptor 30 are integrally moulded into the component illustrated in figure 3. The jet tube 31 is positioned centrally of the receptor 30 and is of a substantially cylindrical configuration with an arcuate semi-cylindrical cut-out 32 at one end. The jet receptor 30 is restrained in the housing 7 by retaining ring At the opposite end to jet tube 31, jet receptor 30 has a cylindrical receptor member 34 in coaxial alignment with 6 jet tube 31. Receptor member 34 is a sliding fit within a bore 24 of the retaining ring 20. The receptor member 34 terminates in an annular flange 35 at the front of the receptor. The external profile of the jet receptor steps down from annular flange 35 to the cylindrical member 34 and to end portion 39.

Receptor member 34 has two axially extending cut-out resilient tabs 130 that are biased slightly outward from the cylindrical body of receptor member 34 so that the tabs snap into locking engagement with retaining ring when assembled together in the housing 7. Specifically, rib 131 of retaining ring 20 extends radially inward of the mixing jet assembly to catch resilient tabs 130 behind rib 131. Retaining ring 20 is itself attached to the housing 7 by an ultrasonic weld or adhesive bond.

The jet receptor 30 is accordingly snap-fitted into engagement with the retaining ring 20 to prevent axial displacement of the receptor relative to the nut and housing. Additionally, the receptor 30 is free to partially rotate relative to the ring 20. The partial rotation of receptor 30 changes the positioning of cut-out 32 at the end of the receptor relative to the opening 11 of water pipe 5 that forms part of the housing 7.

Consequently, opening 11 can be opened or closed depending on the position of cut-out 32.

A venturi 100 is located at the axial center of receptor The venturi 100 is defined by a converging nozzle having a forward end 9 of the jet tube 31, and air port 8 in communication with the jet tube 31, a mixing chamber defined by the interior of jet receptor 30 and an elongate plenum chamber 70 supported centrally of the jet tube 31 by three equally spaced radial vanes (only 82 shown).

The radial entry of water through opening 11 causes a rotational force which the three vanes 82 straighten as the water flows through the jet tube 31. This draws air 7 in through air port 8 and into air passageways 85 defined by the hollow construction of the wall structure of each vane.

The characteristics and operation of the venturi 100 is similar to that described in Australian Patent no. 773819.

In brief, the venturi arrangement provides a substantial increase in aeration of the water and an increase in the efficiency of the jet without the need for any additional power.

The present mixing jet assembly 10 takes advantage of the axially central component that is the plenum chamber 70 to create a central support for the rotator component 140 to produce a rotational jet stream.

This central support is in the form of an axially extending pin 120 that is moulded at the central meeting point of the air passageway 85 in each vane 82, 83 and 84.

Pin 120 extends along the central axis of the mixing jet assembly 10 and towards the front to provide a rear pivot support for rotator component 140.

Rotator 140 is a hydraulically balanced component that alters the direction of the air/water mixture flowing axially through the venturi by dividing the mixture through two diverging and diametrically angled passageways 141. The air/water mixture exiting passageways 141 hits face plate 60 which contains a number of strategically placed openings 61 surrounding the centre of face plate Openings 61 cooperate with water exiting inclined passageways 141 such that water partly expels through the openings 61 but also partly hits against the inside of face plate 60. The force of the water exiting the passageways causes the rotator 140 to spin on pin 120 relative to face plate 60 and receptor Rotator 140 is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and is a plastics moulded component having a cylindrical end section 142 internally of which is a central passageway 8 148 leading to a chamber 145. A hollow stem 143 is supported in central alignment with the mixing jet assembly's axis by three vanes 144 extending inbetween hollow stem 143 and the internal wall of cylindrical end section 142.

The diametrically angled passageways 141 are located on the downstream side of chamber 145 to central passage 148.

At chamber 145, central passage 148 bifurcates into the two inclined passageways 141 dividing water entering central passage into two opposing but balanced streams.

The passageways 141 diverge from chamber 145 but are also dilated and angled such that the water exiting the passageway exerts a rotational torque on the rotator 140.

The passageways 141 are angled in the same direction about the central axis to encourage water rushing through the passageways to exert a torque on the rotator 140 causing it to spin. At the opposite end of the passageways 141 to end section 142 is an annular flange 146 that extends out radially past the outer edges of the openings 61 on the face plate A closed hole 147 at the centre of flange 146 receives a lug 62 extending rearwardly from the inside of face plate The lug 62 provides rotating support for the rotator 140 at the opposite end to pin 120 such that rotator 140 is supported at both ends and rotates about the central axis like a spindle.

Face plate 60 snaps into engagement on receptor 30. Face plate 60 comprises an annular flange 63, illustrated in Figure 4, that extends past the radial extremities of the front flange of housing 7, and a cylindrical section 64 from which the flange extends and that slides into housing 7. Radially internal of annular flange 63 is front plate illustrated in Figure 5, which covers the outlet of the mixing jet assembly and contains openings 61. Front plate 65 contains five openings 61 around a central point 9 of front plate 65. Each opening is shaped in the form of a cambered water drop so that the opening has an enlarged head and a cambered tapered tail section. The enlarged head of the opening 61 coincides with the rotating stream of water entering opening 61 to keep the momentum moving in the rotating stream.

Face plate 60 snaps into engagement on receptor 30 by way of a single resilient detent (not shown) on the cylindrical section 64 of the face plate engaging with a corresponding boss on annular flange 35 of receptor In the mixing jet assembly water/air mixture flowing through the venturi and axially down the centre of the mixing jet assembly exits the assembly split into two opposed and rotating jets of water/air mixture.

With the balanced twin rotator passageways 141 discharging water/air through the five openings on face plate 61, water is alternately released one side, then the opposite side, creating an alternating, rotating pulse effect.

The rotary effect of the mixing jet assembly produces a firm and moving jet of aerated water for improved massaging effects for users.

One of the main advantages of the present system is the absence of any racer bearings where debris can collect and impede movement of the ball bearings. All components are made of plastics and engage by a snap fit or sliding fit with the only bearing surfaces being those between pin 120 and hollow stem 143, and lug 62 and hole 147. All components are therefore easily assembled and disassembled without the need for complicated tools.

The present mixing jet assembly requires the rotator 140 to be axially supported in order to spin around the central axis. While a venturi-type mixing jet assembly is suitable for this purpose, the described means of providing a rotating jet of aerated water can be mounted 10 on any type of mixing jet assembly provided there is some support on the rotator to enable it to be able to spin.

The most simple location for this support is at the central axis of the assembly.

Claims (11)

1. 2. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotator comprises a central passageway at the inlet end which bifurcates into two inclined passageways that diverge from one another.
2. 3. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim 2 wherein the passageways are angled to curve around the central axis in the same direction.
3. 4. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the support for the rotator is a pin or recess on the rotator that engages with a complementary recess or pin in the housing and on the 12 inner face of the front member thereby supporting the rotator at the inlet end and outlet end respectively. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the front member is a face plate on the front of the assembly having apertures and wherein the face plate supports the rotator at the outlet end.
4. 6. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim wherein a pin on an inside of the front face plate engages with a recess on a flange at the outlet of the rotator.
5. 7. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim wherein the front face has five apertures.
6. 8. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim 7 wherein the shape of the apertures is a cambered teardrop shape.
7. 9. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the inlet end of the rotator has a hollow stem supported centrally of the rotator by axial vanes and wherein the stem receives a central pin in the housing. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim 9 wherein the pin in the housing is formed integrally with a receptor located inside the housing, the receptor receiving fluid and directing the fluid along the central axis.
8. 11. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing has two fluid inlet ports, one each for water and air, wherein the fluids are mixed in a receptor containing a venturi that accelerates the fluid through the mixing jet assembly. 13
9. 12. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in claim 11 wherein the venturi contains a plenum chamber supported by vanes in a nozzle of the venturi.
10. 13. The rotary mixing jet assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the rotator is made of plastics.
11. 14. The rotary mixing jet assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 17th day of September 2004 ROBERT KENNETH MCNAB DESMOND JOHN BERRY By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia