EP0581356A2

EP0581356A2 - Improved hydromassage tub

Info

Publication number: EP0581356A2
Application number: EP93202017A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Max Pajetta
Original assignee: Ideal Standard SpA
Current assignee: Ideal Standard SpA
Priority date: 1992-07-29
Filing date: 1993-07-09
Publication date: 1994-02-02
Also published as: ITRE920071U1; EP0581356A3; ITRE920071V0; IT228666Y1

Abstract

The tub comprises at least one arm (10) carrying, connected to the hydromassage system, one or more supplementary nozzles (11) for the pressurized water and possibly air jets; said arm (10) is secured to the container-tub (2) such that it can be moved between a rest position in which it lies to the side of the water mass and at least one further position in which said supplementary nozzles (11) lie in the upper region of the normal water mass; said nozzles (11) are orientated with a downwardly directed component.

Description

This invention relates to hydromassage tubs comprising both a container-tub able to contain a person and a normal water mass sufficient to allow at least partial immersion of the person, and a system for feeding pressurized water and possibly air into the water mass through inlet nozzles provided on the inner surface of the tub.
The container-tub is usually in the form of a normal bath-tub and in this respect can be used for effecting a normal body-cleaning bath.
The nozzles are arranged on the bottom surface of the container-tub and/or in its sides and are served by pipes for water drawn from the water mass present in the container-tub and fed under pressure, by a suitable electrically driven pump, back into the same water mass. Said nozzles usually draw air from the external environment so that the emitted water jet contains air bubbles, which are thought to be important for generating an oxygenating action for the body in addition to the massaging action produced by the water jet.
All the pipes, the pump and other possible mechanical members are generally contained within an interspace defined by a casing which externally encloses the container-tub.
The object of the present invention is to improve said hydromassage tubs in order to render their action more effective.
To this end the hydromassage tub of the present invention comprises at least one arm carrying one or more supplementary nozzles connected to the system for feeding pressurized water possibly together with air, said arm being constrained to the container-tub such that it can be moved relative thereto between a rest position, in which it lies to the side of the water mass, and at least one further position in which said supplementary nozzles lie in the upper region of the normal water mass present in the container-tub, said nozzles being orientated with a downwardly directed component.
By virtue of the invention, the water and air jets which produce the hydromassage action do not only depart from the inner lower and/or side surface of the container-tub as in the known art, so that they strike only those regions of the person's body facing these inner surfaces of the container-tub (typically the body rear and side regions). In contrast, because of the invention the jets are also directed towards the person's body from the upper region of the water mass, so that these jets also strike the upwardly facing body regions. This obviously results in a more complete and effective hydromassage for the user.
The invention is described hereinafter in detail with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate one embodiment thereof.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tub of the invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the longitudinal vertical plane II-II of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the transverse vertical plane III-III of Figure 2.
The figures show only those elements most pertinent to the invention, whereas they omit various members of known type. For example the various pipes and the electrically operated pump of the hydromassage system are not shown because, besides being of known type, they can vary to assume any known arrangement.
In the figures the reference numeral 2 indicates the container-tub, which is substantially of known type, ie is shaped as a usual bath-tub able to contain a person and a water mass 9 sufficient for at least partial immersion of the person.
About the container-tub 2 there can be provided an outer casing 31 laterally and lowerly enclosing the container-tub 2 to form therewith a convenient interspace containing the pipes, the pump and other possible members of the system which, as stated, draws water from the tub and returns it to the tub as jets of pressurized water possibly together with air drawn from the surroundings. In the figures the reference numeral 32 indicates the nozzles provided on the inner surface of of the container-tub 2 to feed jets of pressurized water and air into the water mass 9. Said nozzles 32 are of known type and, as is usual, are arranged on the base and/or on the sides and/or ends of the container-tub 2.
The shape of the container-tub 2 and the arrangement of the nozzles 32 are not limited, and can be different from those shown in the figures. In addition the container-tub 2 can be built into a masonry structure.
According to the invention, at least one arm 10 is provided carrying one or more supplementary nozzles for feeding pressurized water and possibly air, these being connected to said hydromassage system.
In the illustrated embodiment, the arm 10 is secured to an upper edge 21 of the container-tub 2 and is movable within the upper region of the container-tub 2. Specifically, the arm 10 is secured to the edge 21 so that it can rotate about a substantially vertical axis on one side 22 of the container-tub 2, in a virtually central position along the longitudinal extension (ie the direction of the maximum length) of the container-tub 2, and can be rotated into a position transverse to the longitudinal extension, or beyond.
Advantageously the arm 10 comprises a first portion 10a secured to the container-tub 2 and positioned above the free surface of the normal water mass 9. To the portion 10a there is joined a second portion 10b of arched shape with its concavity facing downwards, its two ends being immersed in the normal water mass 9. At said immersed ends there are at least two supplementary nozzles 11, of which the jet direction can be adjusted. The portion 10b can be immersed to a greater extent, with supplementary nozzles 11 also being provided in its also immersed central region The arm 10, in particular its arched part 10b, is advantageously rounded so that any impact with the body of the immersed person is soft and not painful.
In addition the highest region of the inner surface of the side 22, where the arm 10 is positioned, can comprise a profiled recess 22a to house the arm 10 when in its rest position, so that the arm 10 does not project substantially beyond the remaining inner surface of the container-tub 2 (as shown by continuous lines in Figure 1 and by dashed and dotted lines in Figure 3).
In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, a tubular vertical shaft 13 is provided external to the container-tub 2, its upper part 13a passing through the upper edge 21 formed by the recess 22a and projecting slightly upwards beyond the edge 21. The portion 10a of the arm 10 is fixed to the upper part 13a. The part 13a is embedded within the portion 10a and is rigidly joined thereto. The lower end of the shaft 13 is rotatably engaged with a bush 33 (or any other known means) rigid with the base 31a of the casing 31, the shaft 13 hence being able to rotate about its vertical axis.
The supplementary nozzles 11 are fed by a pipe 34 for the water and a pipe 35 for the air, these extending through a cavity 14 within the arm 10 and through the bore of the shaft 13. To allow the pipes 34 and 35 to pass, the upper part 13a of the shaft 13 comprises a lateral through hole connecting its bore to the cavity 14. The pipes 34 and 35 are connected lowerly to said hydromassage system in order to receive pressurized water and air.
When the arm 10 is retained in its rest position within the recess 22a it does not project into the interior of the container-tub 2 and obstruct it. This position is typically used when the hydromassage action is not in operation so as enable the person to enter and leave the container-tub 2 or for its use as a normal cleansing bath.
When hydromassage is to be effected the arm 10 is moved into the transverse position (or other angular positions about the longitudinal plane of symmetry) so that the supplementary nozzles 11 are facing downwards towards the upper surface of the person's body. Hence the hydromassage involves the sides and lower surface of the body via the normal nozzles 32, and simultaneously the upper surface of the body via the supplementary nozzles 11. The arm 10 can also be rotated to direct the nozzles 11 towards the desired body regions. In addition the arm 10 can also carry the controls (not shown) for the hydromassage system.
The rotation of the arm 10 about the axis of the shaft 13 can also be conveniently motorized by providing a suitable motor within the interspace between the container-tub 2 and the outer casing 31, to rotate the arm 10 each side of the transverse position.
Numerous modifications of an applicational nature can be made to the invention. For example more than one arm 10 can be provided. In addition the shape of the arm 10 can be different from that shown.

Claims

An improved hydromassage tub, comprising a container-tub (2) able to contain a person and a water mass of a quantity sufficient to allow at least partial immersion of the person, and a system for feeding pressurized water and possibly air into the water mass through inlet nozzles (32) provided on the inner surface of the container-tub (2), characterised by comprising:
- at least one arm (10) carrying, connected to said system, one or more supplementary nozzles (11) for the jets of pressurized water and possibly air;

- said arm (10) being secured to the container-tub (2) such that it can be moved between a rest position in which it lies to the side of the water mass and at least one further position in which said supplementary nozzles (11) lie in the upper region of the normal water mass, said nozzles (11) being orientated with a downwardly directed component.
A tub as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said arm (10) is secured to an upper edge (21) of the container-tub (2) and is movable within the upper region of the container-tub (2).
A tub as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said arm (10) is secured to the container-tub (2) so that it can rotate about a substantially vertical axis on one side (22) of the container-tub (2) in a central position along the longitudinal extension thereof, said arm (10) being able to be rotated in order to be brought into a position transverse to the longitudinal extension of the container-tub (2).
A tub as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said arm (10) comprises a first portion (10a) secured to the container-tub (2) and arranged above the normal water mass, and a second portion (10b) joined to the first portion (10a) and of arched extension with its concavity facing downwards, the ends of said second portion (10b) being immersed in the normal water mass, supplementary nozzles (11) being arranged at said immersed ends.
A tub as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that in the region in which said arm (10) is located, the inner surface of the side (22) of the container-tub (2) comprises a recess (22a) able to contain said arm (10) when in its rest position, so that the arm (10) does not project laterally substantially beyond the outline of the remaining inner surface of the container-tub (2).
A tub as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said arm (10) is secured to the container-tub (2) by a tubular vertical shaft (13) positioned external to the container-tub (2), its upper part (13a) projecting upwards through the container-tub (2) and being embedded in one end of the arm (10), the supplementary nozzles (11) carried by the arm (10) being fed by pressurized water and possibly air pipes (34, 35) which extend through a cavity (14) provided within the arm (10) and through the bore of the shaft (13).