GB2500899A

GB2500899A - Shower for hydrotherapy

Info

Publication number: GB2500899A
Application number: GB1205996.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yousef Darwish
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-04
Filing date: 2012-04-04
Publication date: 2013-10-09
Also published as: GB201205996D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a shower for hydrotherapy arranged in use to generate simultaneous separate hot 7a and cold 6a water sprays. An inner chamber of a spray head 10 receives cold mains water, controlled by a flow control valve (5 figure 2) from a first conduit 6. This conduit extends within the bore of a second conduit 7 supplying hot water to an outer chamber of the spray head. The spray apertures 9 providing cold water preferably constitute 2% to 50% of the total number of spray apertures.

Description

I

Shower and Shower Head Assembly for Hydrotherapy The present invention relates to a shower and to a shower head assembly for hydrotherapy.

Blood circulation can be improved by taking a cold/hot hydrotherapy shower. A cold/hot hydrotherapy shower is performed by alternating the flow of water from warm to cold, back and forth several times. Hot/cold hydrotherapy showers can help improve blood circulation because hot water is known to make blood rush to the skin, and cold water makes blood rush back to the body organs.

However, many people shy away from running a hot/cold hydrotherapy shower because they dislike a spray of cold water by itself Most people prefer simply to run a warm shower and enjoy the benefits of being cleaned, awakened and refreshed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shower head assembly and a shower which enable the discomfort of a spray of cold water to be avoided or at least alleviated while providing at least some hydrotherapeutie effect.

In one aspect the invention provides a shower head assembly for hydrotherapy, comprising a shower head having an array of spray apertures, a first water conduit communicating exclusively with a one or more spray apertures in the array and a second water conduit communicating exclusively with other spray apertures in the array.

The first water conduit can be connected to a source of pressurised cold water and the second water conduit can be connected to a source of pressurised hot water to provide simultaneous hot and cold sprays. Such sprays, particularly when moved over the body, provide much of the benefit of hot/cold hydrotherapy with much less of the discomfort associated with a hot spray changing to a cold spray.

Accordingly, in another aspect the invention provides a shower for hydrotherapy arranged in use to generate simultaneous separate hot and cold water sprays.

Preferably the temperature difference between the hot and cold sprays is in the range 15°C to 65°C. This temperature difference range is considered to produce hydrothcrapcutic benefits without undue discomfort.

In onc embodiment the shower is arranged to provide mingled hot and cold water sprays. The mingling (which in practice will not involve significant mixing of the sprays) enhances the comfort of the spray.

Preferably the shower has a cold water outlet communicating with a first water conduit and a hot water outlet communicating with a second water conduit, the shower having a shower head with an array of spray apertures, the first water conduit communicating exclusively with a one or more spray apertures in the array and the second water conduit communicating exclusively with other spray apertures in the array.

In one embodiment the shower is a power shower comprising a pump with outlets for pumped hot water and pumped cold water respectively, said outlets communicating with inlets of a mixer, the pumped cold water outlet also communicating with said first water conduit and an outlet of the mixer communicating with said second water conduit.

Flow from the pumped cold water outlet is thus divided between the mixer and the first water conduit (conveying cold water to the appropriate spray apertures of the shower head) so new bathroom plumbing is not required.

Preferably said pumped cold water outlet communicates with said first water conduit via a flow control valve.

Preferably said mixer is thermostatically controlled.

In another embodiment the shower is a bath shower, said cold water outlet and hot water outlet communicate with inlets of a thermostatically-controlled mixer and an outlet of the mixer communicates with said second water conduit.

In another embodiment the shower is an electric shower having an electric heater arranged to provide hot water to said hot water outlet, said cold water outlet communicating with a mains water inlet to the electric heater.

Desirably, in all the above embodiments, in use the cold water spray has a flow rate which is 2% to 50% of the total flow rate of the hot and cold water sprays, preferably 2% to 15% of the total flow rate, more preferably 2% to 10%, most preferably 5% to 10% of the total flow rate. This balances the hydrothcrapcutic effectiveness and the comfort of the shower.

Accordingly, in the shower head assembly of the first aspect of the invention, the first water conduit desirably communicates with 2% to 50% of the spray apertures in the array (preferably 2% to 15%, more preferably 2% to 10%, most preferably 5% to 10%) and the second water conduit communicates with 98% to 50% (preferably 98% to 85%, more preferably 98% to 90%, most preferably 95% to 90%) of the apertures in the array.

In one embodiment of the shower head assembly, said array is a two-dimensional array and said one or more spray apertures are disposed in an inner region thereof and said other spray apertures are disposed in an outer region thereof This enhances the hydrotherapeutic effect by concentrating the cold spray on one small region of the body and providing a temperature contrast with the surrounding region.

In another embodiment said array is a two-dimensional array and said one or more spray apertures comprise a sub-array of two or more spray apertures distributed within said two-dimensional array. For example, each spray aperture of said sub-array can be surrounded by spray apertures of said two-dimensional array Preferably one of said water conduits is disposed within the other. This enables an existing design of shower head assembly to be modified without changing the external appearance or shape, so it can be used with existing holders and other fittings.

Preferably at least one of said water conduits (eg an inner conduit) is composed of plastics material. This reduces unwantcd heat conduction between the two conduits.

Other preferred shower head assemblies in accordance with the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to Figures Ito 5 of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a power shower in accordance with one aspect of the invention; Figure 2is a schematic illustration of a bath shower in accordance with one aspect of the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of an electric shower in accordance with one aspect of the invention; Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the spray head of a shower head assembly in accordance with the other aspect of the invention, as used in the showers of Figures 1 to3, and FigureS is a bottom plan view of the spray head of another shower head assembly in accordance with the other aspect of the invention.

Similar or identical parts in the various drawings are indicated by the same reference numerals.

Referring to Figure 1, the power shower shown comprises a pump P which has inlets 4 and 4A from a cold water tank and a hot water cylinder respectively, and pumped cold and hot water outlets 14 and I 4A respectively. A T-junetion in the pumped cold water outlet 14 divides the flow of pumped cold water between a first inlet of a thermostatic mixer 12 and a first conduit 6. The pumped hot water outlet 14A feeds a second inlet of thermostatic mixer 12.

The temperature of the water from the thermostatic mixer 12 can be set by the user (eg using a dial control) and the flow rate through first conduit 6 can be controlled by the user with a flow control valve 13.

The outlet of the thermostatic mixer is connected to a second conduit 7 which surrounds the first conduit 6. Thus the first and second conduits form a double-walled tube. At least first conduit 6 is preferably formed of plastics material (eg polypropylene) in order to limit thermal conduction between the cold water in this conduit and the hot water in second conduit 7.

The double-walled tube comprising first and second conduits 6 and 7 is coupled to a flexible hose 8 which is similarly double-walled and conveys the cold and hot water flows separately to a first conduit 6A and a second conduit 7A respectively of a shower head assembly 1. As best shown in the cut-away portion of the shower head assembly, conduit 6A extends along the bore of conduit 7A and expands into a funnel-shaped termination 11 whose mouth is sealed to the wall of a spray head 10 around a central sub-array D (Figure 4) of a generally circular array of spray apertures 9. A spray of cold water is formed as indicated by dashed arrows 6a.

The second conduit 7A communicates with the annular chamber within spray head surrounding funnel-shaped termination 11 and thence with the remaining radially outer spray apertures 9 to form a spray of (temperature-controlled) hot water as indicated by arrows 7a.

The bath shower shown in Figure 2 includes a shower head assembly 1 and double-walled flexible hose 8 connected to a double-walled conduit comprising first, inner conduit 6 and second, outer conduit 7 exactly as in Figure 1. Since these are identical to the shower head assembly, flexible hose and double-walled conduit of Figure 1, further description of these parts will be omitted.

However in this shower, a thermostatic mixer 12 is fed from a cold water tank at inlet 4, via a flow-control valve 5, and from a hot water cylinder at inlet 4A. AT-junction in inlet 4 diverts some cold water to first conduit 6 to provide the cold water spray 6a and the outlet of thermostatic mixer 12 (which is similar to thermostatic mixer 12 of Figure 1) feeds second conduit 7 to provide hot water spray 7a.

Figure 3 shows an electric shower which includes a shower head assembly 1 and double-walled flexible hose 8 connected to a double-walled conduit comprising first, inner conduit 6 and second, outer conduit 7 exactly as in Figure 1. Since these are identical to the shower head assembly, flexible hose and double-walled conduit of Figure 1, further description of these parts will be omitted.

A conventional water heater H is supplied with mains power from leads 3 and with cold water from a mains inlet 4. The hot water outlet of the heater is connected to second conduit 7 and the temperature of the hot water is controlled by the user with a dial control 12. A T-junetion in inlet 4 divides flow from the mains between the inlet of the heater H and first conduit 6, the flow into the latter being controlled by a flow-control valve 5. As in the other embodiments, the first conduit 6 extends within the bore of second conduit 7 (which provides hot water for hot water spray 7a) and provides cold water for the cold water spray 6a.

Figure 4 has already been referred to and shows spray head 10 with a sub-array D of spray apertures 9 for forming the cold water spray 6a (Figures 1 to 3) surrounded by the remaining spray apertures 9 of the array which form the hot water spray 7a (Figures ito 3). The seven spray apertures 9 of sub-array D constitute 5 to 15% of the total number of apertures. The spray apertures are distributed in eg a honeycomb pattern.

Figure 5 shows a variant 10' of the spray head in which adjacent hexagonal groups E of seven spray apertures each have a central cold spray aperture 9a which communicates (eg via an internal manifold, not shown) exclusively with the first conduit of the spray head supplying cold water. The six peripheral hot spray apertures 9b of each group communicate exclusively with the second conduit of thc spray head which supplies hot water. In this manner, mingled (but separate) hot and cold sprays are provided. If the spray is held close to the user's body, the sprays remain separate and provide a fill hydrotherapeutic effect. If the spray is held somewhat further from the user's body, the sprays combine at least to some extent and provide a lesser hydrotherapeutic effect but with greater comibri Other distributions of hot and cold spray apertures are possible.

In a further aspect the invention provides a method of cleansing the human body comprising spraying the body with simultaneous separate hot and cold water sprays.

In a still further aspect the invention provides a method of hydrotherapeutic treatment of a human comprising spraying the human body with simultaneous hot and cold water sprays.

These method aspects of the invention can be practised with any of the shower head assemblies or showers in accordance with the other aspects of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A shower head assembly for hydrotherapy, comprising a shower head having an array of spray apertures, a first water conduit communicating exclusively with a one or more spray apertures in the array and a second water conduit communicating exdusivdy with other spray apcrtures in thc array.
2. A showcr head assembly according to claim I wherein said first watcr conduit communicates with 2% to 50% of the spray apertures in the array and the second water conduit communicates with 98% to 50% of the apertures in the array.
3. A shower head assembly according to claim 2 wherein said first water conduit communicatcs with 2% to 15% of thc spray aperturcs in the array and thc second water conduit communicates with 98% to 85% of the apertures in the array.
4. A shower hcad assembly according to claim 3 whcrcin said first watcr conduit communicates with 2% to 10% of the spray apertures in the array and the second water conduit communicates with 98% to 90% of the apertures in the array.
5. A shower head assembly according to claim 4 wherein said first water conduit communicates with 5% to 10% of the spray apertures in the array and the second water conduit communicates with 95% to 90% of the apertures in the array.
6. A shower hcad assembly according to any prcceding claim whercin said array is a two-dimensional array and said one or more spray apertures are disposed in an inner region thereof and said other spray apertures are disposed in an outer region thereof.
7. A shower head assembly according to any of claims I to 5 wherein said array is a two-dimensional array and said one or more spray apertures comprise a sub-array of two or more spray apertures distributed within said two-dimensional array.
8. A shower head assembly according to claim 7 wherein each spray aperture of said sub-array is surrounded by spray apertures of said two-dimensional array.
9. A shower head assembly according to any preceding claim wherein one of said water conduits is disposed within the other.
10. A shower head assembly according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of said water conduits is composed of plastics material.
11. A shower head assembly according to any preceding claim which comprises a spray head having a first chamber communicating with an outlet of said first water conduit and with said one or more spray apertures and having a second chamber communicating with an outlet of said second water conduit and with said other spray apertures.
12. A shower head assembly according to claim 11 wherein said array of spray apertures is formed as perforations in an extemal wall of said spray head and at least one generally tubular internal wall connected to the interior surface of said external wall isolates said first chamber from said second chamber.
13. A shower for hydrotherapy arranged in use to generate simultaneous separate hot and cold water sprays.
14. A shower according to claim 13 wherein the temperature difference between the hot and cold sprays is in the range 15°C to 65°C.
15. A shower according to claim 13 or claim 14 which is arranged to provide mingled hot and cold water sprays.
16. A shower according to any of claims 13 to 15 wherein in use the cold water spray has a flow rate which is 2% to 50% of the total flow rate of the hot and cold water sprays.
17. A shower according to claim 16 wherein in use the cold water spray has a flow rate which is 2% to 15% of the total flow rate of the hot and cold water sprays.
18. A shower according to claim 17 wherein in use the cold water spray has a flow rate which is 2% to 10% of thc total flow ratc of the hot and cold water sprays.
19. A shower according to claim 18 whcrcin in usc the cold water spray has a flow rate which is 5% to 10% of the total flow rate of the hot and cold water sprays.
20. A shower according to any of claims 13 to 19 comprising a cold water outlet communicating with a first water conduit and a hot water outlet communicating with a sccond watcr conduit, thc showcr having a showcr head with an array of spray apertures, the first water conduit communicating exclusively with a one or more spray apertures in the array and the second water coilduit communicating exclusively with other spray apcrtures in tim array.
21. A shower according to claim 20 which is a power shower comprising a pump with outlets for pumped hot water and pumped cold water respectively, said outlets communicating with inlets of a mixer, the pumped cold water outlet also communicating with said first water conduit and an outlet of the mixer communicating with said second water conduit.
22. A power shower according to claim 21 whcrein said pumpcd cold watcr outlct communicates with said first water conduit via a flow control valve.
23. A power shower according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein said mixer is thermostatically controlled.
24. A shower according to claim 20 which is a bath shower, said cold water outlet and hot water outlet communicating with inlcts of a thermostatically-controlled mixer and an outlet of the mixer communicating with said second water conduit.
25. A shower according to claim 20 which is an electric shower having an electric heater arranged to provide hot water to said hot water outlet, said cold water outlet communicating with a mains water inlet to the electric heater.
26. A shower according to any of claims 13 to 25 having a shower head assembly as claimed in any of claims 2 to 12.
27. A shower substantially as described hereinabove with reference to any of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, optionally as modified in accordance with Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
28. A shower head assembly substantially as described hereinabove with reference to any of Figures Ito 3 in conjunction with Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.