GB2033219A

GB2033219A - Foot Baths

Info

Publication number: GB2033219A
Application number: GB7935263A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-10-12
Filing date: 1979-10-10
Publication date: 1980-05-21

Abstract

A footbath has fluid-discharge means (11, 12) extending wholly around the inside of the peripheral wall (10) to discharge fluid such as water or steam at spaced points along its length towards the centre of the bath. A lid 13A, 13B overlies the bath and has therein openings (14) through which a user's feet can be inserted. A footrest (16) is provided in the bath below the openings (14). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Footbath This invention relates to a footbath which comprises a bottom and an upstanding peripheral wall, fluid-discharging means and a fluid outlet, the fluid-discharging means being connectible to a fluid supply and the fluid outlet being provided in the bottom to remove to waste any used fluid.

According to the present invention, there is provided a footbath wherein the fluid-discharge means extends wholly or partially around the inside of the peripheral wall and is adapted to discharge fluid at spaced points along its length towards the centre of the bath, and a lid overlies the bath and has therein openings through which a user's feet can be inserted.

Preferably, the discharge means comprise two vertically spaced pipes inter-connected by an upright pipe, the pipes having outlets capable of adjustment to discharge fluid in jet or spray form.

Preferably also, a footrest is provided in the bath below the openings.

Preferably further, the lid is in at least two parts, each part having similar portions of each of the two openings which are only completely formed when the parts of the lid are closed over the bath.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a footbath according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line Il-Il of Fig.

1.

A footbath has fluid discharge means peripherally around the inside of the peripheral wall 10 to discharge fluid at spaced points along its length towards the centre of the bath. The discharge means comprises two pipes 11 similarly arranged in plan in the form of a rectangle with radiused corners and vertically spaced apart and interconnected by two upright pipes 12 one at each side of the bath, the pipes 11 and 12 being in full flow communication with each other. Each of the two similar pipes 11 have outlets formed by fine holes drilled in the pipes 1 the fluid to discharge therefrom in a jet form.

One of the two pipes 11 is located adjacent to the bottom 9 of the bath and the other of the two pipes 11 is located adjacent to the top of the peripheral wall 10.

A lid 13 overlies the bath and has two similar openings 14 provided therein through which a user's feet can be inserted. The lid 1 3 is in three parts, namely a stationary central rectangular part 1 3A flanked on opposed sides by two similar rectangular outer parts 1 3B hingedly mounted each along its outside edge to contiguous upper edges of opposed walls 10 of the bath. The central part 1 3A has two similar segmental cut outs in its two opposed longitudinal sides symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, and at a location near to one of the other sides or front of the bath. Each outer part 1 3B along its longitudinal side opposed from its hinged side, and contiguous with one longitudinal side of the central part, has a segmental cut-out aligned with and complementary to the cut-out on the contiguous longitudinal side of the central part.

The two openings 14 in the lid are completely formed from the segmental cut-outs only when the two outer parts 1 3B of the lid 13 are closed over the bath. The edge of each cut-out in the three parts, is padded with a strip 1 5 of, for example, foam rubber.

A footrest 1 6 is provided in the bath and is a bar extending between the two opposed sides to which the outer parts 1 3B of the lid 13 are hinged. The bar is located below the openings 14 in the lid 13.

A footbath as above-described is installed in a bathroom and the waste pipe 1 7 is connected up to the existing waste pipe system, and the discharge means to a fluid supply. An ON/OFF mixer tap (not shown) is in full flow communication with a fluid supply of both hot and cold water, the tap being provided externally of and adjacent to the footbath, and is conveniently mounted on top of a back 1 8 at the rear end of the footbath to be described hereinafter. The tap is interposed between the fluid supply and the pipes 11 and 12. The tap communicates with the other or upper pipe 11 mid-way of its length at the rear end of the footbath. The fluid in most cases will be water; however it could be dry steam.Also, provision can be made in the piping system, externally of the footbath, for additives, for example, mustard or Epsom salts to be added to the water feeding into the bath. The footbath can be used for bathing the feet, and for this purpose a plug (not shown) is provided for seating in a socket of the drain hole of the waste pipe 1 7; alternatively, the footbath can be used for subjecting the feet to continuous water sprays or jets. The footbath is preferably incorporated into a unit and the sides of the bath are extended downwardly beyond the bottom to support the bath off the ground, and the back 1 8 is provided behind the rear end of the bath opposed to the front, the top of the back 18 being flush with the top level of the lid.Normally, the user sits on a seat or chair adjacent to the front end of the bath and with the outer parts 1 3B of the lid 13 open, places his/her feet on the footrest 16 before closing over the outer parts 1 3B. The user then turns on the tap. Water then passes into the footbath in jet form as required, and thereafter the water is turned off when required. If a bath is being taken, the water will be turned off when it reaches a certain height or level in the footbath, and if simply a footshower is being taken then the water will be turned off as and when required. The parts of the lid, the bath, the footrest and the other parts of the unit are of a non-corrosive material, for example, plastics material, and the pipes are of copper.

The pipes of the discharge means may not extend fully around the inside of the bath.

The lid may be in two parts, one part hinged to the front end and one part to the rear end of the bath, the front part being also removable, and the opening 14 being similarly located as abovedescribed, similar parts of the openings being located in the back part and in the front part.

Alternatively, the lid may be in one part hinged to the rear end, the openings 14 being completed by the top of the front end of the footbath.

The outlets may be nozzles screwed into sockets provided in pipes 11 , the nozzles having a spray or jet outlet.

Claims

1. A footbath wherein the fluid-discharge means extends wholly or partially around the inside of the peripheral wall and is adapted to discharge fluid at spaced points along its length towards the centre of the bath, and a lid overlies the bath and has therein openings through which a user's feet can be inserted.

2. A footbath as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the discharge means comprises two vertically spaced pipes inter-connected by an upright pipe, the pipes having outlets to discharge fluid in jet or spray form.

3. A footbath as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein a footrest is provided in the bath below the openings.

4. A footbath as claimed in Claims 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the lid is in at least two parts, each part having similar portions of each of the two openings which are only completely formed when the parts of the lid are closed over the bath.

5. A footbath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.