EP0397738A1 - Vapour cubicle - Google Patents

Vapour cubicle

Info

Publication number
EP0397738A1
EP0397738A1 EP19890901724 EP89901724A EP0397738A1 EP 0397738 A1 EP0397738 A1 EP 0397738A1 EP 19890901724 EP19890901724 EP 19890901724 EP 89901724 A EP89901724 A EP 89901724A EP 0397738 A1 EP0397738 A1 EP 0397738A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
boiler
cubicle
enclosure
vapour
water
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19890901724
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Peter Roseby Cashmore
Arthur Timothy Somerville Carr
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
2 ESS STEAM AND SHOWER Co Ltd
Original Assignee
2 ESS STEAM AND SHOWER Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 2 ESS STEAM AND SHOWER Co Ltd filed Critical 2 ESS STEAM AND SHOWER Co Ltd
Publication of EP0397738A1 publication Critical patent/EP0397738A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H33/00—Bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes
    • A61H33/06—Artificial hot-air or cold-air baths; Steam or gas baths or douches, e.g. sauna or Finnish baths
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H9/00—Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
    • A61H9/0021—Hydraulic massage
    • A61H2009/0035—Hydraulic massage with cabin for the whole body

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a vapour cubicle, meaning a cubicle for occupancy by a person or persons, with means for providing a hot vapour.
  • vapour cubicle of a design suitable for the domestic market, just as saunas are now available which are suitable for the domestic market.
  • the invention is not intended to be limited to a vapour cubicle for the domestic market alone.
  • Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred vapour cubicle embodying the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the preferred vapour cubicle
  • Fig. 3 is a partial plan view and partial section on III-III of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 4 is a front elevation, enlarged, of a boiler assembly inside the cubicle, shown partly sectioned on I -IV of Fig. 5;
  • Fig. 5 is an end elevation, also enlarged, of the boiler assembly, shown partly sectioned on V-V of Fig. 4;
  • Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged, exploded, end elevational section of part of the boiler assembly and part of its control unit, showing mountings and inter-connections.
  • the illustrated vapour cubicle 10 comprises walls 12, a floor 14, a ceiling 16 and a door 18. All of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material, forming a fully-enclosed enclosure 10a for a person (not shown) to occupy.
  • the walls 12 are formed in two sections 12a, 12b (Figs. 1 to 3) which fit together with a tongue-and-groove interlock along vertical seams 12c and are held together by being located in an annular channel 14a (Fig. 6) in the floor 14 and a corresponding annular channel (not shown) in the ceiling 16.
  • the floor 14 is in one piece.
  • the channel 14a is intermediate an external rim portion 14b and an internal platform, or floor proper. 14c (Fig. 6).
  • the ceiling 16 is formed similarly to the floor 14.
  • Each wall section 12a, 12b is double-layered or double-skinned.
  • Each layer or skin 12d, 2e is formed in the conventional way of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material by layering-up, to have a smooth side and a rough side, as is usual.
  • Each layer is not flat but has dished portions. After formation, the two layers are brought back-to-back, with their rough sides together, and are joined together, where they touch, in any suitable manner, leaving thermally insulating air spaces between the two layers 12d, 12e where they are not touching but are spaced apart due to the dished portions.
  • the smooth side of the outer layer 12d forms the outside wall surface of the cubicle, whilst the smooth side of the inner layer 12e forms the inside wall surface of the enclosure 10a formed by the cubicle 10.
  • a seat 20 of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material is fixed to the back wall 12b of the cubicle 10, inside the enclosure 10a.
  • a person When occupying the enclosure 10a with the door shut, a person is completely shut-in there (unlike some known "steam-chambers" where the user's head sticks out through an opening to the outside).
  • an internal boiler 24 is mounted therein on one wall 12.
  • the boiler 24 comprises an inner, water-holding, container 26 of plastics, an outer thermally-insulating cover 28 (not shown in Fig. 6). also of plastics, a two-part thermally-insulating lid 30 and an electric heater element 32.
  • the cover 28 is not removable.
  • the lower part 30a of the lid is fixed non-removably to the inner container 26.
  • the upper lid part 30b can be removed. As shown by arrows in Fig.
  • hot water vapour passes from inside the container 26, through an opening 34 in the lower lid part 30a into a cavity 36 between the lid parts 30a, 30b and thence downwardly through a vapour outlet 38 formed between the lid parts 30a, 30b into the cubicle enclosure 10a.
  • water can be poured into the container 26 through the opening 34, which is fitted with finger-guard means, not shown, to prevent a person, especially a child r from touching any hot or boiling water in the container 26.
  • the cover 28 and the upper lid part 30b provide thermal insulation, preventing exposure to accidental touch of any excessively hot surface of the boiler 24, particularly of the container 26 and lower lid part 30a.
  • An electrical control unit 40 is mounted externally of the enclosure 10a, back-to-back with the boiler 24. for controlling the operation of the boiler.
  • the control unit 40 comprises a thermistor 42 mounted as shown in close proximity to the boiler 24 for sensing the water temperature and connected by electrical leads 44 to solid-state electrical circuitry in the control unit.
  • This circuitry shown diagrammatically at 46, controls switching on and off of the heater element 32 in the boiler 24.
  • the circuitry and the heater element 32 may be conventional.
  • an electric socket 50 on a cable 52 plugs into a plug 54 on the boiler 24.
  • Electrical power leads 56 interconnect the plug 54, the circuitry 46 and the heater element 32 via connectors 54a, 54b.
  • the leads 44 interconnect the thermistor 42 and the circuitry 46 via connectors 56a, 56b.
  • a conventional mounting boss 58 of the heater element 32 extends through an aperture in the water container 26 and through a corresponding aperture in a mounting bracket 60, by means of which the container 26 is mounted on the wall 12. Water-tightness is maintained by means of a first elastomeric O-ring seal 62 inside the aperture of the bracket 60, compressed between the wall of the container 26 and the inner layer 12e of the wall 12. A collar nut 64 with a washer 66 screws onto the mounting boss 58, water-tightness being further enhanced by a second elastomeric O-ring seal 68, compressed between the washer 66 and the outer layer 12d of the wall 12. The second O-ring seal 68 is sufficiently yielding to fit around the leads 44 connecting the thermistor 42 of the circuitry 46.
  • the control unit 40 comprises a cover 70, secured in place conventionally by a fixing bolt 72 with a cap 74.
  • the circuitry 46 comprising a circuit board and components, not individually shown, is mounted on a base 76 which is supported by spacers 78 on the cover 70.
  • the cubicle 10 preferably includes a hot-and-cold mixer spray or shower, preferably thermostatically controlled, of conventional type.
  • the boiler 24 is filled with water, the upper lid part 30b (removed for the filling) is replaced, and the boiler 24 is switched on by means of an external electric switch, not shown.
  • the water boils and produces vapour in the enclosure 10a. A person may wait until the vapour has been produced before entering the cubicle, if the person wishes, or may take a shower in the cubicle while waiting for the water to boil.
  • the boiler 24 is thermally insulated by the air spaces between the water container 26 and the cover 28 and between the two lid parts 30a, 30b, the occupant is protected form scalding or burning.

Abstract

Cabine (10) composée de doubles parois (12), d'un plancher (14) et d'un plafond (16) avec une porte (18) formant une espèce de sas (10a) dans lequel se trouve une chaudière (24) pourvue d'un élément électrique chauffant (32). La chaudière (24) est dotée d'un système d'isolation thermique destiné à empêcher de s'ébouillanter ou de se brûler. Une unité de commande (40) est adossée à la paroi extérieure symétriquement par rapport à la chaudière (24). La cabine (10) peut également être équipée d'une douche ou d'un dispositif de pulvérisation d'eau chaude et d'eau froide.Cabin (10) composed of double walls (12), a floor (14) and a ceiling (16) with a door (18) forming a sort of airlock (10a) in which there is a boiler (24) provided with an electric heating element (32). The boiler (24) is provided with a thermal insulation system intended to prevent scalding or burning. A control unit (40) is attached to the outer wall symmetrically with respect to the boiler (24). The cabin (10) can also be fitted with a shower or a device for spraying hot and cold water.

Description

VAPOUR CUBICLE
This invention relates to a vapour cubicle, meaning a cubicle for occupancy by a person or persons, with means for providing a hot vapour.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vapour cubicle of a design suitable for the domestic market, just as saunas are now available which are suitable for the domestic market. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to a vapour cubicle for the domestic market alone.
The invention provides a vapour cubicle as claimed in each of the claims, to which reference is' directed.
The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, wherein:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred vapour cubicle embodying the invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the preferred vapour cubicle; Fig. 3 is a partial plan view and partial section on III-III of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a front elevation, enlarged, of a boiler assembly inside the cubicle, shown partly sectioned on I -IV of Fig. 5;
Fig. 5 is an end elevation, also enlarged, of the boiler assembly, shown partly sectioned on V-V of Fig. 4; and
Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged, exploded, end elevational section of part of the boiler assembly and part of its control unit, showing mountings and inter-connections.
Referring to the drawings, the illustrated vapour cubicle 10 comprises walls 12, a floor 14, a ceiling 16 and a door 18. all of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material, forming a fully-enclosed enclosure 10a for a person (not shown) to occupy.
The walls 12 are formed in two sections 12a, 12b (Figs. 1 to 3) which fit together with a tongue-and-groove interlock along vertical seams 12c and are held together by being located in an annular channel 14a (Fig. 6) in the floor 14 and a corresponding annular channel (not shown) in the ceiling 16. The floor 14 is in one piece. The channel 14a is intermediate an external rim portion 14b and an internal platform, or floor proper. 14c (Fig. 6).
The ceiling 16 is formed similarly to the floor 14.
Each wall section 12a, 12b is double-layered or double-skinned. Each layer or skin 12d, 2e is formed in the conventional way of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material by layering-up, to have a smooth side and a rough side, as is usual. Each layer is not flat but has dished portions. After formation, the two layers are brought back-to-back, with their rough sides together, and are joined together, where they touch, in any suitable manner, leaving thermally insulating air spaces between the two layers 12d, 12e where they are not touching but are spaced apart due to the dished portions. The smooth side of the outer layer 12d forms the outside wall surface of the cubicle, whilst the smooth side of the inner layer 12e forms the inside wall surface of the enclosure 10a formed by the cubicle 10.
A seat 20 of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material is fixed to the back wall 12b of the cubicle 10, inside the enclosure 10a. When occupying the enclosure 10a with the door shut, a person is completely shut-in there (unlike some known "steam-chambers" where the user's head sticks out through an opening to the outside).
For producing hot water vapour in the enclosure 10a. an internal boiler 24 is mounted therein on one wall 12. The boiler 24 comprises an inner, water-holding, container 26 of plastics, an outer thermally-insulating cover 28 (not shown in Fig. 6). also of plastics, a two-part thermally-insulating lid 30 and an electric heater element 32. The cover 28 is not removable. The lower part 30a of the lid is fixed non-removably to the inner container 26. The upper lid part 30b can be removed. As shown by arrows in Fig. 4, hot water vapour passes from inside the container 26, through an opening 34 in the lower lid part 30a into a cavity 36 between the lid parts 30a, 30b and thence downwardly through a vapour outlet 38 formed between the lid parts 30a, 30b into the cubicle enclosure 10a. When the upper lid part 30b is removed, water can be poured into the container 26 through the opening 34, which is fitted with finger-guard means, not shown, to prevent a person, especially a childr from touching any hot or boiling water in the container 26.
The cover 28 and the upper lid part 30b provide thermal insulation, preventing exposure to accidental touch of any excessively hot surface of the boiler 24, particularly of the container 26 and lower lid part 30a.
An electrical control unit 40 is mounted externally of the enclosure 10a, back-to-back with the boiler 24. for controlling the operation of the boiler. The control unit 40 comprises a thermistor 42 mounted as shown in close proximity to the boiler 24 for sensing the water temperature and connected by electrical leads 44 to solid-state electrical circuitry in the control unit. This circuitry, shown diagrammatically at 46, controls switching on and off of the heater element 32 in the boiler 24. The circuitry and the heater element 32 may be conventional.
As shown in Fig. 6, an electric socket 50 on a cable 52 plugs into a plug 54 on the boiler 24. Electrical power leads 56 interconnect the plug 54, the circuitry 46 and the heater element 32 via connectors 54a, 54b. The leads 44 interconnect the thermistor 42 and the circuitry 46 via connectors 56a, 56b.
A conventional mounting boss 58 of the heater element 32 extends through an aperture in the water container 26 and through a corresponding aperture in a mounting bracket 60, by means of which the container 26 is mounted on the wall 12. Water-tightness is maintained by means of a first elastomeric O-ring seal 62 inside the aperture of the bracket 60, compressed between the wall of the container 26 and the inner layer 12e of the wall 12. A collar nut 64 with a washer 66 screws onto the mounting boss 58, water-tightness being further enhanced by a second elastomeric O-ring seal 68, compressed between the washer 66 and the outer layer 12d of the wall 12. The second O-ring seal 68 is sufficiently yielding to fit around the leads 44 connecting the thermistor 42 of the circuitry 46.
The control unit 40 comprises a cover 70, secured in place conventionally by a fixing bolt 72 with a cap 74. The circuitry 46, comprising a circuit board and components, not individually shown, is mounted on a base 76 which is supported by spacers 78 on the cover 70.
Although not shown, the cubicle 10 preferably includes a hot-and-cold mixer spray or shower, preferably thermostatically controlled, of conventional type.
To use the cubicle, the boiler 24 is filled with water, the upper lid part 30b (removed for the filling) is replaced, and the boiler 24 is switched on by means of an external electric switch, not shown. The water boils and produces vapour in the enclosure 10a. A person may wait until the vapour has been produced before entering the cubicle, if the person wishes, or may take a shower in the cubicle while waiting for the water to boil.
Because the boiler 24 is thermally insulated by the air spaces between the water container 26 and the cover 28 and between the two lid parts 30a, 30b, the occupant is protected form scalding or burning.

Claims

Claims
1. A vapour cubicle comprising walls, a floor, a ceiling and a door forming an enclosure for at least one person to occupy, and means for providing a hot vapour in the enclosure, said means comprising a boiler mounted inside the enclosure, the boiler being able to be at least partly filled with water and having an electric heater element in it. to produce the vapour, said means also comprising an electrical control unit mounted outside the enclosure and connected electrically to the heater element, the boiler being thermally insulated to shield the person from touching any excessively hot surface of the boiler, the boiler having a vapour outlet into the enclosure.
2. A cubicle as claimed in claim 1 and also comprising a shower device.
3. A cubicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the boiler comprises a casing of plastics material.
4. A cubicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the casing encases a water container with air space between the casing and the water container.
5. A cubicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein an inlet into the boiler for at least partly filling it with water is within the enclosure.
6. A cubicle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the boiler- has a lid which is removable for filling of the boiler with water via said inlet.
7. A cubicle as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the inlet for water into the boiler is provided with finger-guard means.
8. A cubicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one said wall is of double-skinned plastics material with at least one cavity between the skins.
9. A cubicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the walls interconnect interlockingly with each other.
10. A cubicle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the boiler and the control unit are mounted back-to-back in relation to each other on a said wall.
EP19890901724 1988-01-26 1989-01-16 Vapour cubicle Withdrawn EP0397738A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8801653A GB2214425B (en) 1988-01-26 1988-01-26 Vapour cubicle
GB8801653 1988-01-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0397738A1 true EP0397738A1 (en) 1990-11-22

Family

ID=10630516

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19890901724 Withdrawn EP0397738A1 (en) 1988-01-26 1989-01-16 Vapour cubicle

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0397738A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2948889A (en)
GB (1) GB2214425B (en)
WO (1) WO1989006952A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0769289A1 (en) * 1995-10-20 1997-04-23 Dietwin Helmut Prommer Collapsible steam cabin for personal body care
GB2360702B (en) * 2000-03-27 2004-06-30 Mark Thomas Wozencroft The auto dryer shower apparatus

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH313121A (en) * 1954-04-09 1956-03-15 Baumann Ernst Portable home sauna
US3007178A (en) * 1958-07-07 1961-11-07 Altman Murray Combination steam bath and shower
BE628015A (en) * 1962-02-07
US3557389A (en) * 1968-01-19 1971-01-26 Robert Scobey Steaming unit
GB2063665A (en) * 1979-09-21 1981-06-10 Nordic Saunas Ltd Steam/sauna cabinet
GB2099695A (en) * 1981-04-14 1982-12-15 Cazaly Allan Francis Steam bath cabinet
DE3139930C2 (en) * 1983-03-10 1985-08-22 Matthews, Penelope Jane, 8121 Wielenbach Bathing device for a single person with a device for generating a steam and hot air bath in the form of a hip bath
DE8519827U1 (en) * 1985-07-09 1985-10-31 Klafs-Saunabau GmbH & Co Medizinische Technik, 7170 Schwäbisch Hall Steam room
DE8616860U1 (en) * 1986-06-25 1986-11-06 Grumbach, Emil, 6330 Wetzlar Room cell as a steam bath and shower

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO8906952A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8801653D0 (en) 1988-02-24
GB2214425A (en) 1989-09-06
AU2948889A (en) 1989-08-25
GB2214425B (en) 1991-06-26
WO1989006952A1 (en) 1989-08-10

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