ES2736961A1 - THERMAL CABIN AFTER SHOWER OR BATH (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Thermal cabin designed to eliminate or minimize the sensation of cold, when it is wet and body temperature is lost, once the shower or bath is finished. Characterized by having a thermal convection system, by means of forced air (1) that is used for the subsequent drying of the user's body, by means of diffusers (7) located in a vertical aluminum column (6). An aluminum heat sink (2) heats the air, and is treated by an evaporator (8) that removes moisture and a condenser (10) that increases the temperature. Having this cabin a series of characteristics, which makes it particular, such as preheating before showering or bathing, the short period of time to reach the maximum temperature, (the duration of a shower), an air recirculation system (17), air flow, speed, temperature and humidity regulations from a control panel (15). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath.

SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

The present invention is related to use after a shower or bath. Eliminating or minimizing the sensation of cold body once you leave with a wet body, especially in cold or temperate environments, where you have to resort to thermally conditioning the enclosure. Saving on electric power, by conditioning only the interior of the cabin and not all the cubic meters of the bathroom instance.

This thermal cabin also has a function that makes body drying more effective, comfortable and quick, eliminating the use of towels, towel warmers and heaters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the shower or bath the user regulates the temperature of the water, individually, to satisfy the sensation of comfort, thus avoiding an abrupt change in his body temperature.

Once the shower or bath is finished and the user will proceed to drying. The sensation that the wet body experiences is cold, especially when the ambient temperature is below 25 °, since the thin layer of water that has remained in our skin absorbs the heat of our body when it evaporates, this sensation It lasts until we are totally dry. The objective of the invention is to eliminate that cold sensation, without large heating consumption of the enclosure and in an efficient way. At the same time offer a comfortable and quick drying of the body.

We proceed to draft the systems that may be antecedents to the invention, such as electric towel rails, sweat saunas, weight loss cabins, and body dryers. Electric towel rails.

Electric towel rails are known, but they take a while to heat the towel since they are activated, and do not heat the environment of the enclosure quickly and efficiently, not minimizing the effect of loss of body heat or cold sensation of a effective way. Apart from the present invention, it offers an alternative to the use of towels.

Saunas to sweat and cabins to lose weight.

Saunas and cabins are known, being designed with the aim of losing weight and sweating, using thermal systems to heat the interior, different from the present invention.

Conventional saunas and cabins do not have the following characteristics, such as rapid preheating (which lasts a shower), forced air convection system, for body drying, using aluminum as a heat sink and a dehumidifier to control humidity , more automatic air renewal and other series of particularities.

Body dryers

Body dryers for after showering or bathing are known. These body dryers can be located in closed or partially enclosed cabins, they can also be installed on the wall of a bathroom in the form of a vertical column. All these body dryers, have the disadvantage that they are slow in body drying and are not comfortable, especially in cold climates, and when the ambient temperature is below 25 °, since they do not minimize the sensation of body cold, for What are not designed for this purpose. These dryers only project forced air to the user. This projected air, usually has a few degrees above the ambient temperature, but not enough to minimize the sensation of cold, since heating the necessary air flow for a body drying, requires a lot of energy (see example in pdf document with the name OTRO-1 , located in the telematic section of other documentation)

The reason for this is that when we are wet and forced air is projected on our body, although this air is hot, it feels cold, because the contact of this air flow with our wet skin causes the water to start evaporate, going from liquid to gaseous state, for this change of state, the water takes the necessary heat from the surface of our skin for evaporation, causing a small decrease in temperature and therefore the sensation of cold.

To minimize this feeling of cold, uncomfortable, we have to resort to considerably increase the temperature of the room or bathroom, also to increase the temperature of the projected air, and lower the humidity of this air, for which a lot of electrical energy is needed .

The closed and partially enclosed cabins, and some platform body dryers, have ergonomic disadvantages, since they do not have easy access to the area where the user is dried, since the air drive system formed by the motor, fan, resistors, ducts and all electrical elements have it located at the bottom, below the platform where the user is standing, raising the user's location height from the ground. Being non-ergonomic access for certain elderly people, and people with reduced mobility.

They also have safety disadvantages, since the electrical part would have to be above the susceptible area where it can be deposited or we have water projection, coming from the user's wet body.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

In order to avoid the mentioned inconveniences and the deficiencies explained in the previous sections. A system is proposed, to use after showering or bathing. With a series of characteristics that makes it unique, with respect to all the systems mentioned above. For this purpose, it is proposed that the user, in the area near the shower or bath, have a cabin whose internal temperature is high enough, to eliminate or minimize the sensation of body cold, once wet, from the shower or bathroom, without resorting to thermally condition all cubic meters of the enclosure. In order to save on electric energy and get comfort, after a shower or bath.

It is also proposed that with the air that recirculates, to heat the cabin, the user at his will can increase the flow, and speed of the same, being able to do a body drying in an efficient, fast and comfortable way.

It is also proposed that with the air that recirculates through the cabin with a low noise level, the user can use it to make a heat session inside and then a cold session outside the cabin, using cold showers or temperate, these cold / heat sessions will be for hygienic and therapeutic purposes.

The cabin is ergonomic, for it all the elements in the upper part have been located. So that the user can easily enter and exit the cabin, see socket (13).

Being at ground level the socket (13) is also safe since all the electrical part is located in the upper area, and isolated from the area susceptible to splashing water, complying with all safety regulations.

We detail below the operation, and the characteristics of the cabin.

Preheating of the cabin.

The user can choose if he wants to preheat the cabin at a setpoint temperature of 42 °, or if, on the contrary, he wants to preheat at a lower temperature, this depends on the thermal comfort that the user wants when entering the cabin. This preheating of the cabin is done before carrying out the bath or shower, by pressing a button (14) that is on an exterior panel, without requiring the user to enter the cabin.

The interior temperature can be checked from the outside by means of a display (16).

Once it has reached its setpoint temperature a warning light alerts you (14).

The comfort temperature is considered to be 42 ° when entering the wet cabin after showering or bathing, in cold or temperate environments.

When the cabin has reached its setpoint temperature, the cabin will maintain this temperature, for this a thermostat (16) will activate or deactivate the electric resistors (2). One of the main characteristics of the thermal cabin after the shower or bath is that the cabin object of the invention is quick in the process of reaching its setpoint temperature soon (the duration of a shower).

The procedure used to heat the cabin quickly, is that a centrifugal fan (1) projects an air flow, against an aluminum heat dissipation plate (2) this plate is heated by electrical resistors (3). This hot aluminum thermal plate considerably increases the heat exchange surface with the air. The objective is to heat more than 1000 (m3 / h), for this we will need a large thermal dissipating surface. This aluminum heat sink plate (2) has a slight inclination, of 15 degrees with respect to the inlet opening to the aluminum ducting (5), this inclination redirects the forced air through the mouth (5), a 1/4 narrower than the widest area of discharge of the part of the ventilation box (26).

This flow of hot air presses into the aluminum ducting (6) and together with diffusers (7) dissipates heat evenly and quickly through the cabin.

This heating system is entirely in aluminum, this being with a very high thermal conductivity over 209 (W / (mK)). Having an advantage over other body dryers built with other metals or polymers.

This preheating cycle is with a low noise level, for the comfort of the user. For this, a single-phase brushless alternating current motor and a turbine (1) connected to the drive box system (26) are used by silentblocks, and the entire drive box (26) connected to the cabin structure by means of other silentblocks, thus avoiding vibrations, the motor and turbine bearings (1) being balls and performing this preheating at low revolutions.

The cabin has the option of containing a condenser (10), evaporator (8) compressor (9) and fan (12). The reason is to minimize the effect of moisture in the air. Since the more humid the cabin air is, the harder it is to heat up and the slower the body drying. This system is used to dehumidify the air, which heats the cabin more quickly and body drying is more effective and faster. The objective is that the air that passes through the electric resistors (3) has a low humidity index.

The operation of this dehumidifier system is the following, the air before entering the centrifugal fan (1), passes through the evaporator (8) that is cold, condensing this air in the form of water and storing it in the tank (11), This reservoir may have a drain. After passing through the evaporator (8), already dehumidified, it is passed through the radiator of the condenser (10) that is hot, reheating the air and entering the centrifugal fan (1) and doing the air heating cycle of again, using the aluminum heatsink (2) and electrical resistors (3) mentioned in the previous section.

The operation of the cabin is explained once it is preheated.

Once the preheating has been done at the desired temperature with a maximum of 42 ° and the user has entered the cabin, through the door (21). The centrifugal fan (1) projects a minimum flow of air to heat the aluminum ducting (6) and this ducting heats the cabin through the diffusers (7), with a low noise level.

When the user considers, press the body dryer button on the panel (15) and increase the flow of the air that flows through the diffusers (7).

When the user is doing the body drying and consider, he can regulate the temperature, humidity, flow, and air speed, from the panel (15).

The cabin has a system for air renewal. The system (7) being an electric actuator, and (18) the air renewal gate.

This cycle of air renewal will be started by the user manually by pressing a button on the panel (15), the opening and closing can also be done automatically with a hygrostat and a humidity probe (23).

Another utility of the cabin is to do cold / heat sessions for hygienic and therapeutic purposes. For it. Once the preheating is done with a setpoint temperature of 42 ° and the light warning light (14) is on, the user can enter the cabin, through the door (21). And you can perform a heat session, for this the centrifugal fan (1) projects a minimum flow of air to heat the aluminum ducting (6) and this ducting heats the cabin through the diffusers (7), all this with a low noise level When the user considers it, he will leave the cabin doing a cold session in the shower with cold or warm water, repeating the cycles as many times as he wants.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The cabin began to be designed years ago, and after several prototypes, the industrializable one is already built. This product has been designed to comply with the regulations and CE marking, also all components have the CE marking. Being subjected to several tests and durability performance tests. To be technically functional, reliable, safe, ergonomic and industrializable.

Also pending approval, it was designed to have an IP 45 protection.

In parallel, assembly guidelines are being studied for its possible industrial process.

This cabin does not need any pre-installation in the final location, by the user, or professional, just connect it to a 220v outlet. Not needing any further maintenance.

This cabin does not have any type of assembly, in the final location, as it happens with shower cubicles, hydromassage cabins, saunas, and body dryers.

This is because it has been designed with some measures, according to the standard of access to bathrooms and facilities likely to locate this cabin.

Also by not needing additional assemblies by third parties, we ensure that the cabin is mounted with all the quality and safety systems required by the product. Assuming economic savings for the customer in any pre-installation.

You can send photos of the cabin or details of it, if it is deemed necessary by the oepm. A small summary of the cab assembly is made so that the industrialization of the cabin can be appreciated (see figure 4).

1. Assembly of the aluminum structure (25).

2. Mounting transparent side panels (22).

3. Mounting the aluminum ducting (6) and the entrance to the ducting (5). 4. Assembly of centrifugal fan (1) thermal plate (2) and bimetal safety thermostat (4) 5. Assembly of electrical resistors (3), and protective covers (24).

6. Mounting the air dehumidifier system with heat rope.

7. Assembly of electrical circuit, and electrical components.

8. Assembly of internal (15) and external (14) control panels.

9. Assembly of air recirculation system (17) (18).

10. General wiring.

11. Transparent door assembly (21), rear panel (22) and socket (13).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1.- Shows a side view of the cabin.

Figure 2.- Shows a front view of the cabin.

Figure 3.- Shows a 3d view of the cabin.

Figure 4.- Shows a view of parts of the cabin.

Claims (17)

1 . Thermal cabin, designed to eliminate or minimize the loss of body heat and the sensation of cold after showering or bathing. 2 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the first claim, characterized by using a system of convection heat transfer, forced air to heat the interior of the cabin, using a centrifugal fan with a turbine ( 1), electrical resistors (3), an aluminum heat dissipation plate (2), an aluminum pipe in the form of a vertical column (6) with a plurality of diffusers (7), and an additional system containing a compressor ( 9) an evaporator (8) and a condenser (10). 3 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the previous claims, characterized by a centrifugal fan (1) that projects an air flow, against a thermal dissipating plate (2). This aluminum dissipation plate (2) is heated by resistors (3), this dissipation plate (2) having a slight inclination, of 15 degrees with respect to the entrance to the duct (5), this opening is 1/4 narrower than the widest area of centrifugal fan drive. This mouth enters a duct in the form of a vertical column (6) with a plurality of diffusers (7) to dissipate the hot air throughout the cabin. 4 . Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing, according to the preceding claims, the heating system contains a thermal dissipating plate (2) and a vertical pipe in the form of a vertical column (6) these two elements are constructed in aluminum, such as heat dissipator. 5 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the previous claims, this cabin can have a dehumidifier system, which contains a fan (12) that passes the cabin air through a cold evaporator (8) dehumidifying the air , and subsequently projecting it to a condenser (10) by reheating the air, and propelling it towards the zone of the centrifugal fan (1), this circuit having a gas compressor (9). Condensed water is stored in a reservoir (11) and may have a drain. 6 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath according to the previous claims, all the elements explained in the previous claims together will heat the cabin, to minimize the loss of body heat and perform body drying to the user. 7. Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath according to the previous claims, all the elements explained in the previous claims together will heat the cabin and can be used to make cold / heat sessions, being a heat session in the inside the cabin and then a cold session outside the cabin through showers of cold or warm water, for hygienic and therapeutic purposes. 8. Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the previous claims, all the elements explained in the previous claims together will be started with an external button called preheating button (14). This button will be particular for thermally conditioning the interior thereof before making use of claims 6 and 7. 9. Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the previous claims, the heating cycle will be with a low sound level, for the comfort of the user. For this purpose, this cabin contains a turbine and an engine (1) which are connected to the system of the drive box (26) of the centrifugal fan by means of silentblocks, and the entire drive box (26) connected to the structure of the cabin by other silentblocks, thus avoiding vibrations in its operation, the ball bearing of the motor and turbine assembly (1), being the single-phase alternating current motor without brushes and performing the air drive for preheating at low revolutions. 10. Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing according to the previous claims, when preheating is being carried out, this system will automatically reach the setpoint temperature, warning a warning light (14) and maintaining the setpoint temperature in the interior of the cabin in a constant way. 11. Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing according to the preceding claims, this system will have regulation by the user of the flow, speed, temperature and humidity of the air by means of a control panel (15) inside the cabin . 12. Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing, according to the preceding claims, this system will have a thermostat (16) for automatic regulation of the temperature inside the cabin and maintain the setpoint temperature inside a constant form 13. Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing according to the preceding claims, this system will have a small digital display (16) in degrees that will be visible by the user from inside and outside the cabin. 14 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath according to the previous claims, this system will have an opening operated with an electric motor (17) for the recirculation of the air with the outside (18). 15 . Thermal cabin for after showering or bathing according to the preceding claims, the air recirculation can be operated manually by the user from the internal control panel (15) or automatically by a hygrostat with a temperature probe (2. 3). 16 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath, according to the previous claims it will not be necessary to make any assembly or pre-installation of the cabin in the final location, by the user, or by third parties. 17 . Thermal cabin for after the shower or bath according to the previous claims. For ergonomic and machine safety purposes, the following elements will be located at the top of the cabin: The centrifugal fan (1), electric heaters (3), compressor (9), condenser (10), evaporator (8), heat dissipation plate (2) and air renewal system (18).