FR2626594A1 - Anti-overflow device for spa-baths and small pools for leisure, thermal or medical purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

The device prevents water overflowing from small pools when bathers enter. The water flows away, in line with the maximum allowable level, through holes, from where it drops into a tank of variable volume made of a flexible material and acting as a bladder. When the bathers leave, the water is taken from this bladder by the recycling system pump which pumps it back into the pool. The pool automatically returns to its initial level. This device prevents waste of water and heat and also a certain pollution of the environment as these waters are often chemically treated.

Description

 The present invention relates generally to spas and mini-pools, leisure, thermal, medical.

 In spas with a usual capacity of 1 to 3 m3 (sometimes more), the water is heated to around 37-0. Several devices animate this water.

 A pump makes it possible to speed up the recycling of the water and to create a jet powerful enough in front of the discharge outlets to perform massages on the parts of the body presented there. Air sucked in by venturi effect is forced back into these jets, ensuring a first boiling of the water.

 A second bubbling is caused by blowing air into the bottom of the basin which is provided with a multitude of small holes.

 The high temperature of the bath and its bubbling create a relaxing and beneficial effect.

 The shape of the pools is such that several bathers can sit or lie on them.

 The user-friendliness of these spas is not the least of their advantages, in the well-known manner of saunas.

 The filtration, disinfection, and heating systems are similar to those of a swimming pool. The same is true for swimming pools.

 The small volume of water associated with a multiple number of bathers, generates frequent overflows of heated and chemically sterilized water. There is therefore a waste of calories and pollution of the surroundings because many of these basins are installed indoors.

 The device which is the subject of the present invention makes it possible to remedy this double drawback by collecting water in a buffer tank and by automatically reintroducing it into the basin as soon as the bathers leave.

 Some designers have already resolved these shortcomings by collecting the overflows using a peripheral chute, in a variable level buffer tank. These expensive systems, however, require a larger volume of installation and water, and above all, must be planned during the construction of the basin.

 It is not the same with the process which is the subject of the present invention which is adaptable to almost all the basins, constructed or to be constructed and uses a buffer tank with variable volume.

 This buffer tank is in fact constituted by a flexible tank (9) in polyvinyl chloride, PVC, or similar material, the shape of which allows easy nesting in the spaces left free under the basin.

 The basin (l) generally comprises a bottom drain (2) and a surface drain (3) called a "skimmer" connected by rigid plastic pipes to a pump (4) which discharges the water into the basin through a filter (5). The normal water level (6) is at the height of the skimmer (3).

 As soon as the bathers enter, the water rises. To avoid overflow, at the maximum admissible level, one or more orifices (7) are created in the manner of an "overflow", these orifices connected to one or more flexible pipes from 0 50 to 100 mm (8) evacuate by gravity. excess water in a PVC tank (9). This inflates like a skinskin and its capacity is to be expected at the rate of 30 liters per potential bather. The bottom of this tank is itself connected to the suction of the pump by a pipe (10) of a diameter equivalent to the other pipes arriving at the pump.

 The water is therefore pumped back into this addition but much slower than it arrives because it is at a level lower than the level of the basin, which creates a certain pressure drop, This results in a buffer effect .

 At the exit of the bathers, the level drops and the orifice (s) (7) no longer receive water to be evacuated. The pump, continuing its filtration work, empties the bottle (9). In a few minutes the water rises to its normal level. (6).

 When the skinskin is empty it becomes self-contained and the hose (10) can no longer suck up water or air. As a result, the pump cannot be primed.

 When the latter stops (programmed or untimely) the non-return valve (11) prevents the gravity return of the water into the bottle.

Claims (5)

 1) Device intended to prevent overflowing of water from SPAS or mini-pools when one or more swimmers enter the pool, this device being characterized by the use as a buffer tank, of a flexible tank (9) made of polyvinyl chloride or any similar material d '' a capacity of 30 1 per potential bather.  2) Disposi-tif according to claim 1 characterized by the creation of one or more orifices (7) at the level of the maximum admissible level in the basin (l).  3) Device according to the above claims characterized by a gravity discharge of the water collected by the orifice (s) (7) in the addition (9) by means of pipe (x) of large diameter ( 50 to 100 mm) in flexible materials (rubber, PVC or others).  4) Device according to the claims above characterized in that the excess water collected in the addition (9) is sucked by the recycling pump (4) thanks to a rigid pipe (10) of dimension equivalent to the other pipes arriving at the pump.  5) Device according to claim (4) characterized in that a non-return valve (11) prevents the gravitational return of the water in the addition via the pipe (10) during the voluntary stop or untimely pump (4).