AU2018201732A1

AU2018201732A1 - Salt Therapy System

Info

Publication number: AU2018201732A1
Application number: AU2018201732A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steven Bettles
Original assignee: Pathways 33 Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Pathways 33 Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-09
Filing date: 2018-03-09
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Also published as: AU2023278114A1

Abstract

There is described a salt dust generator for producing salt dust for use in salt therapy treatment, comprising: a bowl having a milling blade mounted on a surface thereof; a lid mountable to said bowl to define an enclosed milling space for receiving salt crystals therein, and a delivery outlet for delivering salt dust suspended in air therefrom; wherein, the milling blade is operational to perform milling of the salt crystals into a fine salt dust and to generate an air flow within the milling space such that the fine salt dust becomes suspended in the air for delivery from the delivery outlet.

Description

SALT THERAPY TREATMENT SYSTEMS RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Australian provisional patent application No. 2017900819, filed 9 March 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a salt therapy treatment system and in particular, to a device for generating and dispensing salt dust for use in salt therapy treatment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Salt therapy is a recognised means for treating individuals suffering from a variety of medical conditions, especially respiratory and skin conditions. Salt therapy generally involves the generation of a fine salt dust which can be directly inhaled by the individual or used to create an atmosphere within which an individual can be placed for a predetermined time.

Due to the chemical structure of salt, or NaCl, when it is milled into a fine dust of around 5 microns or less, it releases negatively charged particles into the air. When ingested, these particles can be drawn into the airways to aid in reducing inflammation and breaking up mucus. Similarly, when an individual is present in such a negatively ionized dry saline atmosphere, the negative ions can set back the pH value of the skin and cells, thereby addressing eczema and other skin related conditions.

Many devices have been proposed to create such a fine salt dust, with varying degrees of success. Inhaling devices involving masks have been proposed to directly deliver salt dust into a person’s respiratory system. Similarly, aerosol devices for direct oral dosing have also been proposed. Other means for delivering salt therapy comprise the creation of an enclosed chamber or room into which salt dust is introduced and taken into the individual’s airways through normal breathing.

Irrespective of the manner in which salt dust is created, a common aspect of existing devices developed to perform this function is that they are complicated and expensive devices to use. This also results in the use and installation of such devices being difficult to coordinate and expensive. For this reason, public facilities have been installed, similar to saunas and other such dedicated facilities, that users can access for periods of time to make use of the equipment and undergo a therapy session. Sue to the popularity of such treatment sessions, session times must be booked in advance, resulting in patients having limited access to salt therapy treatments, and the benefits that the offer.

Thus, there is a need to provide a system and device that can be simply and inexpensively employed in a home environment for use by individuals seeking to take advantage of the benefits that salt therapy offers.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a salt dust generator for producing salt dust for use in salt therapy treatment, comprising: a bowl having a milling blade mounted on a surface thereof; a lid mountable to said bowl to define an enclosed milling space for receiving salt crystals therein, and a delivery outlet for delivering salt dust suspended in air therefrom; wherein, the milling blade is operational to perform milling of the salt crystals into a fine salt dust and to generate an air flow within the milling space such that the fine salt dust becomes suspended in the air for delivery from the delivery outlet.

In one embodiment, the lid may further comprise a feeding inlet for receiving salt crystals and delivering the salt crystals onto the surface of the bowl for milling. The lid may further comprise an air inlet for delivering air into the milling space to displace the salt dust suspended in air from the delivery outlet. In one form, the feeding inlet and the delivery outlet are the same opening.

The air inlet may further comprise a fan or blower associated therewith for delivering positively pressurised air into the enclosed milling space to displace the salt dust suspended in air from the delivery outlet.

The lid may have one or more guide members formed in an inside surface thereof for directing the salt dust suspended in air to the delivery outlet

The salt therapy system may further comprise a controller for controlling the operation of the salt dust generator. The controller may be a remote controller that is controlled by a user from inside the enclosed therapy space. In another form, the controller may be provided on a control panel located either within the enclosed therapy space or outside the enclosed therapy space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a salt dust generator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the bowl of the salt dust generator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the lid of the salt dust generator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a salt dust generator of Fig. 1 showing air flow within the salt dust generator;

Fig. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a salt dust generator in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a therapy space employing the salt dust generator of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The system and apparatus of the present invention will be described below in relation to its application for use in a home-based arrangement for salt therapy treatment. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system and apparatus of the present invention could be equally used in any application for creating a space having a suspended particulate material in air, in both a home installed or a commercial arrangement.

Referring to Fig. 1, a salt dust generator unit 10 is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The generator unit 10 comprises a base 13 which houses a motor (not shown) for driving a milling blade (not shown) in a manner as will be described in more detail below. A bowl 12 is mounted to the upper end of the base 13 to define a space into which salt is received for milling by the milling blade. The bowl 12 is substantially hemispherical in shape, although other shapes and configurations of the bowl 12 are also envisaged. A lid 14 is mounted onto the bowl 12 to define a substantially spherical or cylindrical milling chamber 20. The lid 14 is configured to sealingly engage with the bowl 12 such that the milling chamber 20 formed therebetween is substantially airtight. Sealing between the bowl 12 and the lid 14 may be achieved by an interference fit formed between the upper and lower edges respectively, or may be formed by a resilient band member (not shown), which is placed around the perimeter of the fit between the bowl 12 and the lid 14 to form a seal thereabout.

The lid 14 has a feeding inlet 15 in the form of a tube or pipe projecting from the lid 14. The feeding inlet 15 provides a means for feeding salt directly into the milling chamber 20 of the generator unit 10 for dispensing, as will be discussed below. A plug member or cap 16 is provided to seal the feeding inlet 15 during use of the generator unit 10, as shown.

An air inlet 18 is provided on one side of the lid 14 so as to project therefrom at an angle of approximately 45° to the vertical. The air inlet 18 is depicted as being a tube or pipe that extends into the milling chamber to deliver pressurised air thereto. A fan or blower 17 is mounted to an end of the air inlet 18 to pressurise the air for delivery into the milling chamber 20 as required. The fan or blower 17 is electrically controlled such that it can be programmed to turn on and off in accordance with the requirements of the overall system. As will be discussed in more detail below, the air inlet 18 is an optional feature and not fundamental to the working of the system. In one embodiment, the air inlet and air outlet can be a single opening that projects from the lid at an angle from between 45° to 90°. In an embodiment of the present invention, single inlet/outlet can be employed and positioned anywhere on the lid. A delivery outlet 19 is provided on an opposite side of the lid 14 to the air inlet 18. The delivery outlet 19 is also in the form of an elongate tube or pipe that is in fluid communication with the internal milling chamber 20. The delivery outlet 19 also extends at an angle of approximately 45° to the vertical. The delivery outlet 19 functions to deliver salt dust created in the milling chamber into the surrounding environment either under the pressure of the milling blade and/or under pressure of the fan or blower 17. The manner in which this is controlled will be discussed in more detail below.

Referring to Fig. 2, the bowl 12 is depicted from above, with the lid 14 removed, thereby showing the milling blade 22. As is shown, the bowl 12 is substantially hemispherical or cylindrical in shape with a substantially flat floor 23 and the milling blade 22 is configured to rotate about the base of the floor 23 and is substantially flush with the floor 23. The milling blade 22 as shown comprises four blades extending radially from a central axis such that they contact the salt upon rotation to mill the salt into finer, airborne particles. It will be appreciated that the milling blade 22, may be configured to take many different forms and may include any number of blades.

The wall 21 of the bowl 12 extends above the floor 23 and has a step 21a formed in an upper edge thereof. This step 21 a facilitates engagement with a similar step 29a formed in the under edge of the wall 29 of the lid 14, such that when the lid 14 is mounted on the bowl 12, seal is formed therebetween.

In use, the milling blade 22 is caused to rotate about its central axis upon activation of the motor housed within the base 13. Upon rotation of the milling blade 22 at high speed, the milling blade 22 functions to grind the salt located within the bowl into a smaller particle size and in doing so, the salt particles become suspended in the turbulent air created within the milling chamber 20. As the milling chamber 20 is enclosed, the high speed action of the milling blade 22 generates an eddy within the air and suspended salt particles present therein, thereby mixing the air and suspended salt particles to form a fine airborne dust. It will be appreciated that in many instances, the pressure generated by the milling blades 22 will be sufficient to cause the salt dust to be delivered out of the delivery outlet 19 without the need for a positive supply of pressurised air from the air inlet 18. This, in such applications, the air inlet 18 may be closed by a plug or the like, or the lid may not include an air inlet 18 at all.

The underside of the lid 14 is depicted in Fig. 3. The lid 14 has a generally hemispherical shape with the wall 29 having a stepped region 29a formed along the lower edge thereof to facilitate sealed engagement with the wall 21 of the bowl 12, to create the milling chamber 20. Each of the air inlet 18, feeding inlet 15 and delivery outlet 19 are in fluid communication with the milling chamber 20, as shown. The opening of the delivery outlet 19 may be provided with a flow guide 19a, as depicted. The flow guide 19a may be formed in the underside of the lid 14 to direct the eddy of suspended salt particles and air towards the delivery outlet 19 to be then delivered from the end of the delivery outlet 19 as shown. As the suspended salt particles and air within the sealed milling chamber 20 are generally flowing in a circular swirling motion due to the rotation of the milling blade 22, the flow guide 19a may be simply a fin or similar element formed on the underside of the lid 14, that directs the air into the opening of the delivery outlet.

As previously discussed, the air inlet 18 introduces pressurised air into the sealed milling chamber 20 from the fan or blower 17 by way of a length of tubing. The fan or blower 17 is attached to an end of the length of tubing such that activation of the fan or blower 17 will cause the salt dust within the milling chamber 20 to automatically exit the milling chamber 20 via the delivery outlet 19, as it will displace the salt dust from the milling chamber 22. The manner upon which this is achieved is shown in Fig. 4. Once again, the use of a fan or blower 17 in the air inlet 18 may be unnecessary for some applications of the present invention as the action of the milling blades will be sufficient to generate air flow to expel the salt dust from the delivery outlet.

To operate the generator unit 10, the unit will firstly be supplied with salt, such as hospital grade salt in the form of salt crystals. These salt crystals will be provided via the feeding inlet 15 or air inlet 18 such that they are fed directly into the milling chamber onto the floor 23 of the bowl 12. Alternatively, they may be a combined single inlet/outlet through which the salt crystals are supplied. Alternatively, the salt crystals may be supplied by removing the lid and feeding the salt crystals directly into the bowl 12. By activating the motor, the milling blades can then work upon the crystals to mill and grind the crystals into a fine salt which becomes air-borne as salt dust.

Fig. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment of a generator unit 10. In this embodiment, the unit 10 has a cylindrical body comprising a base 13 which houses drive electronics for driving the milling blades (not shown) to mill the salt crystals as well as a cylindrical milling bowl. The lid 14 has a central outlet 19 for dispensing the salt dust under the pressure generated by the milling blades, which travel within the cylindrical lid 14 in the manner as depicted. A power button may be simply mounted on the base 13 to provide a degree of manual control of the unit 10. It will be appreciated that the outlet 19 may also function as an inlet for receiving the salt crystals for milling.

It will be appreciated that the generator unit 10 may comprise a controller to control and coordinate the operation of the milling blades 22 and the fan/blower 17. Typically, the duration of operation of the milling blades 22 determines the size of the salt particles present in the salt dust being dispensed. Similarly, the duration of operation of the fan/blower 17 determines the duration of delivery of salt dust from the delivery outlet 19 as well as the volume of salt dust delivered. Each of the milling blades and the fan/blower may be controlled by the controller in accordance to the user’s dosage requirements. The controller can be adjusted to any timing sequence of salt dust generation required by the user and may come in any number of programmable sequences. A Dust/Salt sensor may be employed with the unit 10 to sense the density of salt present in the air and to adjust the sequence of salt delivery accordingly, namely the duration of the milling blades and or duration of any fan or blower. Other sensors that sense the humidity and air quality may be provided to facilitate variation of the amount of salt dust to be dispensed into a room or dedicated therapy space.

Referring to Fig. 6, one example embodiment of a therapy space 40 is depicted for conducting a salt therapy treatment with the generator unit 10 of the present invention. The space 40 is representative of an enclosed space having a floor, roof and four walls defining a compartment into which the salt dust can be delivered. In the embodiment as shown in Fig, 6, the therapy space 40 is depicted as being a permanent or semi-permanent structure; however, it will be appreciated that the therapy space 40 may be a temporary structure formed by a plastic shroud, portable tent structure with material walls or similar arrangement, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Further the size of the therapy space may vary in accordance to the needs of the user.

The generator unit 10 is mounted against one wall of the therapy space 40 such that the delivery outlet passes through the wall of the therapy space and into the upper region of the enclosed therapy space or is supported/mounted inside the therapy space at an upper level. A user is then able to enter the therapy space 40, via the door 41, so as to be enclosed within the therapy space 40. The user can sit on the seat 42 provided in the therapy space 40 and whilst seated thereon, the generator unit 10 is able to deliver a dose of salt dust into the enclosed space in the manner as discussed above. As the salt dust is delivered to an upper region of the therapy space, the salt dust is able to remain suspended in the air as it is inhaled by the user and naturally settles under gravity. The duration and timing of salt dust dosages delivered by the generator unit 10 may be controlled by a controller, such as a remote controller or control panel to ensure that the air within the therapy space is appropriately dosed with salt dust.

To facilitate circular air flow within the therapy space so as to maximise air suspension time for the salt particles, the therapy space may be equipped with a thermal means, such as a heater, to generate thermal air movement within the therapy space 40. In this regard, a vent system 45 may be provided at or near the base of the therapy space to release hot or warm air into the space. This hot or warm air will be caused to rise within the therapy space 40 and exit via ducts in the roof of the therapy space 40 and as this warm air travels in an upward direction, it will generally capture the salt dust and retain suspension of the salt dust within the therapy space, this maximising suspension time of the salt dust. It will be appreciated that such a thermal air circulation system is not fundamental to the operation of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement as depicted in Figure 5 can be simply and effectively installed in a home or similar environment, to provide a salt therapy treatment facility. Each of the walls of the therapy space 40 can be supplied in flat-pack form for assembly by the user and the dispensing unit 10 can be simply mounted to the therapy space for operation. In this regard, the unit 10 can be used as a stand-alone device dispensing salt dust into an open space, or may be used with the dedicated therapy space 40. The amount of milling of the salt and the duration of dispensing of the salt can be simply and effectively controlled based upon the enclosed volume of the space to maximise the effect of the salt dust treatment.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A salt dust generator for producing salt dust for use in salt therapy treatment, comprising: a bowl having a milling blade mounted on a surface thereof; a lid mountable to said bowl to define an enclosed milling space for receiving salt crystals therein, and a delivery outlet for delivering salt dust suspended in air therefrom; wherein, the milling blade is operational to perform milling of the salt crystals into a fine salt dust and to generate an air flow within the milling space such that the fine salt dust becomes suspended in the air for delivery from the delivery outlet.
2. A salt dust generator according to claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises a feeding inlet for receiving salt crystals and delivering the salt crystals onto the surface of the bowl for milling.
3. A salt dust generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lid comprises an air inlet for delivering air into the milling space to displace the salt dust suspended in air from the delivery outlet.
4. A salt generator according to claim 2, wherein the feeding inlet and the delivery outlet are the same opening.
5. A salt dust generator according to claim 3, wherein the air inlet further comprises a fan or blower associated therewith for delivering positively pressurised air into the enclosed milling space to displace the salt dust suspended in air from the delivery outlet.
6. A salt dust generator according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the lid has one or more guide members formed in an inside surface thereof for directing the salt dust suspended in air to the delivery outlet
7. A salt therapy system comprising, an enclosed therapy space for receiving a user therein,; and a salt dust generator mounted with respect to the enclosed therapy space for producing salt dust and delivering the salt dust suspended in air into the enclosed therapy space, the salt dust generator comprising a bowl having a milling blade mounted on a surface thereof; a lid mountable to said bowl to define an enclosed milling space therebetween, the lid having a delivery outlet for delivering salt dust suspended in air therefrom; wherein, the milling blade is operational to perform milling of the salt particles into a fine salt dust and to generate an air flow within the milling space such that the fine salt dust becomes suspended in the air for delivery from the delivery outlet into the opening.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the enclosed therapy space has an opening formed in an upper region thereof through which at least a portion of the salt dust generator protrudes to facilitate delivery of salt dust suspended in air into the enclosed therapy space.
9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the enclosed therapy space has a ledge or support formed in an internal surface thereof for receiving and locating the salt dust generator for use.
10. A salt therapy system according to claim 7, wherein the enclosed therapy space is formed from assembling flat pack members to form walls, floor and roof of the enclosed therapy space,
11. A salt therapy system according to claim 7, wherein the enclosed therapy space is in the form of a tent.
12. A salt dust generator according to claim 7, wherein the lid of the salt dust generator further comprises a feeding inlet for receiving salt crystals and delivering the salt crystals onto the surface of the bowl for milling.
13. A salt therapy system according to claim 7 or claim 12, wherein the lid of the salt dust generator comprises an air inlet for delivering air into the milling space to displace the salt dust suspended in air therefrom into the enclosed therapy space.
14. A salt therapy system according to claim 12 wherein the feeding inlet and the delivery outlet are the same opening.
15. A salt therapy system according to claim 7, further comprising a controller for controlling the operation of the salt dust generator.
16. A salt therapy system according to claim 15, wherein the controller is a remote controller that is controlled by a user from inside or outside the enclosed therapy space.
17. A salt therapy space according to claim 16, wherein the controller is provided on a control panel located either within the enclosed therapy space or outside the enclosed therapy space.