AU687412B2

AU687412B2 - Recreational Furniture

Info

Publication number: AU687412B2
Application number: AU70285/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Charles Dickens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-08-21
Filing date: 1994-08-12
Publication date: 1998-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-12
Also published as: AU7028594A

Description

AUST'-LIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For a Standard Patent

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT 4c Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: PETER CHARLES DICKENS PETER CHARLES DICKENS WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

239 Adelaide Attorney code: WR a Invention Title: "Recreational Furniture" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us I~I L -2- RECREATIONAL FURNITURE a FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to recreational furniture and, more particularly, recreational furniture a.

5 embodying a vibration massage device. Still more 4 particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to recreational furniture adapted for use in the environs of a pool such as a swimming pool or hot tub in which a pump is employed for circulating water to and from the pool with the 3 optional inclusion of a filter in the circulation system.

The term "recreational furniture" is intended to include any article of furniture which is adapted to support the human body in a lying, reclining, or sitting position.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION po It is a well established phenomenon that the embodiment of a vibration means in a chair, in 10 particular a reclining chair, or a bed, can be used to effect a type of massage which has a desirable relaxation effect.

As far as applicant is aware, the vibration means associated with such chairs or beds are exclusively in the form of an electrically driven flywheel or the like having an eccentric weight for creating the vibration. The frequency of vibration is simply adjusted by adjusting the speed of rotation of the flywheel.

I I I -4- The use of electric motors in certain recreational areas, such as around swimming pools, hot tubs or the like is not only inconvenient, but also possibly dangerous as a result of electricity being used in too close an association with water. Accordingly, applicant is unaware of any recreational furniture particularly adapted for use in such recreational areas. It is, accordingly, the object of this invention to provide a convenient means of filling this void in the marketplace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

S.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an article of recreational furniture comprising a support area ee e for the human body or part thereof, the article of furniture being an inflatable article adapted to be 15 maintained in an operative condition by means of air introduced into cavities defined therein by flexible sheet 0 material, and a vibrator embodied in or directly in contact with the article of recreational furniture to operatively 000000 give rise to vibrations at at least a parL of the support area, the article being characterised in that the vibrator is adapted to be powered by a flow of liquid passing through the vibrator.

A further feature of the invention provides for the article to be buoyant and adapted to support a human body on a body of water.

I I st Still further features of the invention provide for the vibrator to comprise a body having a liquid flow passage therethrough and a movable element held captive within the passa" and being adapted to vibrate when liquid flows throug. the passage; for the movable element to be either in the form of substantially flat valve element adapted to oscillate back and forth as liquid flows past the flap valve element or, alternatively, for the movable element to be a spherical closure element held captive in an enclosure having a tubular outlet arranged such that the closure element moves about in said enclosure to periodically close the outlet and generate vibrations in consequence of a rapid series of intermittent valve closures; for the vibrator to be adapted to be connected to a .to4 9*

S**

OCKENSDOC Jt004T I 6 flexible swimming pool hose in order to connect it to a swimming pool filtration pump; and, for the flow passage to have in communication therawith, an auxiliary inlet or outlet for decreasing the flow of liquid through the vibrator and wherein said auxiliary inlet or outlet is preferably adjustable to regulate flow of liquid through the vibrator and thus regulate the severity, frequency or both of vibrations created by the vibrator.

p.

10 Preferably, the vibrator has a body from which a series of arms extend. These arms are usually parallel and arranged to fit into external recesses defined between adjacent inflated tubular formations. Also, the vibrator and its associated arms are preferably sandwiched between an upwardly inclined end region of the mattress and a lower supporting buoyant pillow formation. Also, a S* length of pipe connecting the vibrator body with control means may be attached beneath the article of recreational furniture to transmit vibrations to an additional zone thereof.

7 In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment thereof, as applied to an inflatable, buoyant, mattress or, as such article is widely known, "lilo", will now be described with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:-

S

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an inflatable mattress in the inflated condition and 4* illustrating schematically, in dotted lines, the association of a vibrator assembly therewith; 4*.e FIG. 2 is an isometric illustration of a vibrator body and associated arms;

S

15 FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section taken through the mattress along line III III in Fig. 1; i I r 8 FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional elevation of the vibrator assembly itself; FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional elevation of an alternative vibrator mechanism; and, FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view of the vibrator taken along line IV IV in Fig. DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS S" In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in *s Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the invention is applied to a conventional, air inflated, buoyant mattress or lilo, generally 9 indicated by numeral 1.

4 The inflatable mattress is made in the usual way and thus is defined by a series of juxtaposed, 15 tubular, inflated compartments formed by flexible sheet material in the usual manner.

The inflatable mattress is substantially flat, as shown in Fig. 1, and has an upwardly inclined end

-I

9 region 2 at one end thereof for supporting a person in a reclining position.

Located beneath the upwardly inclined region 2 is a vibrator body 3 which has parallel outwardly directed arms 4 (see Figs. 2 and 3) for engaging the undersurface of the mattress in the inclined region. The arms 4 are positioned to become located in indentations or channels formed between I adjacent inflated compartments 5 as shown most 10 clearly in Fig. 3.

Fixed to the mattress, and located beneath the vibrator body, is an inflated pillow formation 6.

This arrangement is such that the vibrator body and arms become firmly clamped in the position described when the pillow and inflatable mattress to* are inflated.

u SThe vibrator body has a downwardly inclined inlet section 7 directed away from the inclined section 2 of the mattress so that its inlet end 8 will be located well below the surface 9 of water on which the inflatable mattress is supported.

1 10 The outlet end 10 of the vibrator body communicates with a pipe 11 which passes a short distance under the flat portion of the inflatable mattress and then laterally out the one side thereof. This portion If the pipe may be located in one or more indentations between adjacent inflated compartments to transmit vibrations to a portion of the flat part of the inflatable mattress.

At the position where the pipe 11 emerges from the side of the mattress is &n upstanding rotatable control member 12. The control member extends upwardly so as to be accessible to a person lying on the inflatable mattress.

Reverting now to the detail of the vibrator itself, 15 the mechanism is illustrated more clearly, although schematically, in Fig. 4.

e In this case a spherical closure element 13 is held captive in an enclosure 14 defined by a cup-shaped member 15 and a slotted cage member 16 providing a series of circumferentially spaced inlet slots 17.

11 The end of the cup-shaped member opposite the cage member 16 has an outlet pipe 18 entering therein and terminat.ing with its free end 19 spaced inwardly of the base 20 of the cup. This arrangement is known and is such that when liquid is sucked through the outlet this spherical closure element moves around rapidly within the, enclosure, periodically being sucked onto the end of the tube 19 thereby closing it off momentarily. The combined consequence of this movement of the spherical closure element is a rapid series of vibrations caused by the creation of intermittent flow through the outlet.

The frequency of the vibrations can be adjusted by aijusting the axial position of a co-axial stop member 21 carried on the inner end of an axially aligned screw-threaded adjustment member 22 and located opposite the free end 19 of the outlet pipe *,4 18.

The severity of the vibrations, on the other hand, can be adjusted by means of an auxiliary inlet 23 which assumes the form of a slot in the sidewall of

I

12 a transverse tubular spigot 24 communicating with the continuation of the pipe 11 and having a skirt carried on the lower end of the control member 12 so that the skirt can, by rotation of the control member, be moved to close off or open the slot to varying degrees.

Also communicating with the pipe 11 is a spring loaded relief inlet valve 26 of known type and which is, in the event of a blockage in the t 9* 10 vibrator, adapted to allow an adequate inlet of water so as not to cause damage to th pump or .9 associated parts.

Finally, interposed between the auxiliary inlet 23 and relief inlet 26 is a concertina section 27 of 15 flexible material and which receives, in releasable manner, a spigot 28 ce a pipe communicating with the auxiliary inlet 23 and the relief inlet valve 26.

Fc the purposes of priming the vibrator, and in the event that the pump is unable to effect automatic priming thereof, the section lla of the f 13 pipe, together with the auxiliary inlet and relief inlet can be unplugged from the concertina section.

The latter can then be moved back and forth in an axial direction with the flat portion of a person's hand to effect a pumping action to suck water up into the vibrator body and thereby effect priming.

Immediately this has been done, the spigot is simply plugged back into the concertina section and the vibrator will, with an associated pump operating, commence operation.

S In use, with the outlet attached to the suction side of a swimming pool filter, and the mattress floating on a surface of a swimming pool, vibrations will be set up in the vibrator as

C

indicated above.

The severity of the vibrations can be adjusted by manipulating the operating member 12 to open or close the auxiliary inlet and effect the design control. The frequency of the vibrations can be adjusted by manipulating the screw-threaded adjustment member 22. The latter may be rendered operable by a person lying on the mattress by means 0 r 14 of a suitable remote control mechanism as may be required.

In an alternative form of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the vibrator assumes a somewhat different form and in this case a flat support member 30 has a series of ridges 31 thereon fitting into channels between adjacent tubular compartments 32. In this case the main portion of the passage 33 through the body 34 of the vibrator 10 is of rectangular shape in cross-section, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. A roughly centrally located base 35 extends inwardly from one wall 36 of the body and defines a Vee-formation 37 directed towards the inlet 38.

Extending into the Vee formation, is the thin end of a wedge-shaped flap valve element which pivots within the Vee, the flap valve element being directed towards the inlet 38. The flap valve element has two terminal positions which are defined by recesses 39 in the opposite sidewalls of the body. The two terminal positions defined by these recesses are illustrated in Fig. 6, in the 15 one case by dotted lines 40, and, in the other case in solid section as illustrated by numeral 41.

This arrangement is such that when water flows through the body from the inlet to the outlet, and with the flap valve in one terminal position, the flow path is such as to create a decrease in pressure due to an increase in flow rate at the exposed surface of the flap valve element. This causes the flap valve element to move from one 10 terminal position to the other. The action is then repeated and a vibration set up as a result of the flap valve element rapidly oscillating to and fro.

Numerous other arrangements are envisaged according 4 to the invention without departing from the scope 15 hereof which is limited primarily to the use of a liquid actuated vibrator for use in association with recreation al furniture of the type outlined.

e 4 4 4

Claims

2. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 1 in which the article is buoyant and adapted to :15 support a human body on a body of water.
3. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 1 in which the vibrator comprises a body having a liquid flow passage therethrough and a movable element held captive within the passage and being adapted to vibrate when liquid flows through the passage.
4. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 3 in which the movable element is in the form of a flap valve element adapted to oscillate back and forth as liquid flows past the flap valve element. IN I RA41 -17- An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 3 in which the movable element is a sperhical closure element held captive in an enclosure having a tubular outlet arranged such that the closure moves about in said enclosure to periodically close the outlet and generate vibrations in consequence of rapid, intermittent valve closures.
6. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 1 in which the vibrator is adapted to be connected to a flexible swimming pool hose to connect it to the swimming pool filtration pump.
7. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 6 in which an auxiliary inlet or outlet is provided 4 for decreasing the flow of liquid through the vibrator.
8. An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 7 in which the auxiliary inlet or outlet is adjustable to regulate the flow of liquid through the vibrator and thus regulate the severity and/or frequency 4 of vibrations or both. 20 An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 3 in which the vibrator has a series of arms extending therefrom and which are adapted to engage articles of furniture in a series of channels between adjacent inflated compartment of the article. -18- An article of recreational furniture as claimed in claim 9 in which the article is an inflatable mattress and has an inflatable pillow beneath an upwardly inclined end region of the mattress so that the vibrator and associated arms are firmly sandwiched, operatively, between the pillow and undersurface of the mattress. DATED this SIXTH day of OCTOBER 1997 Peter Charles Dickens Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for Applicant 4 S 4 4 S 4 5*4 4 444 .4 4 c4 4 4 4444 'C1 T 01t O:CKENS OC J/0 V7 ABSTRACT An article of recreational furniture such as an inflatable, buoyant, chair, mattress or the like is provided in which a vibrator is embodied in order to selectively apply a massaging type of vibration to at least a part of a support area for a human body on the article of furniture. The vibrator is adapted to be operated by the flow of 00 !a liquid therethrough, in particular, for example, swimming pool water flowing to or from a filtration unit. *ee.