GB2592844A

GB2592844A - Improvements in or relating to hot tubs

Info

Publication number: GB2592844A
Application number: GB1908130.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Han Jie
Original assignee: Dolphin SpA Ltd
Current assignee: Dolphin SpA Ltd
Priority date: 2019-06-07
Filing date: 2019-06-07
Publication date: 2021-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-07
Also published as: GB201908130D0; GB2592844B

Abstract

The sanitising assembly 10 comprises a control member 12 and a container 14 for housing a chemical disinfectant or sanitiser. The container has an opening 16 to allow a fluid flow F into the container to disperse the sanitiser. The control member is movable relative to the container to control the fluid flow, between an open position to facilitate the flow and a closed position to inhibit the flow. The container opening may be a tapered slot 18, and the control member may have a corresponding opening 24 that may be an elongate slot 26 that is movable between the wide and narrow portions of the tapered slot. There may be a valve head 28 with a button or lever 38 to adjust the flow. The sanitising assembly may have a drain 40 to allow fluid to exit the container and may include a valve for diverting flow from one zone of the hot tub to another.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GII1908130.6 RTM Date:29 October 2019 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Jacuzzi Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HOT TUBS

The invention relates to a sanitising assembly for a hot tub and to a hot tub including such a sanitising assembly.

It is important to sanitise the water in a hot tub to prevent harmful bacteria from evolving within the hot tub water. A sanitiser is a disinfectant chemical (e.g. chlorine or bromine) that is used to kill bacteria within the hot tub water, thus keeping it safe for users. The sanitiser must enter the hot tub water in a desired quantity so that it mixes with the water and kills the bacteria. One known way of mixing the sanitiser with the hot tub water is to provide a float which is placed in the hot tub water and houses the sanitiser. The float is free to float around the filled hot tub and the hot tub water enters the float to disperse the sanitiser into the water.

It will be appreciated that a "hot tub", which can also be referred to as a "jacuzzi" or "spa", may be one found in a domestic setting, e.g. a user's back garden, or in a commercial setting, e.g. in a gym.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sanitising assembly for a hot tub, comprising: a control member movable between an open position to facilitate fluid flow therebeyond and a closed position inhibiting at least a part of a fluid flow therebeyond; and a container for housing a sanitiser, the container having an opening in fluid communication with the fluid flow being facilitated by the control member to allow fluid from the fluid flow to enter the container and cause dispersion of the sanitiser, the control member and the container being movable relative to one another to control the fluid flow entering the container.

The container having an opening in fluid communication with the fluid flow being facilitated by the control member means that fluid flow within the hot tub is directed into the container for dispersing the sanitiser. Thus, the sanitiser is released into the hot tub.

Moreover, the control member and the container being movable relative to one another to control the fluid flow entering the container permits control of the rate of fluid flow into the container, and thus the rate of dispersion (i.e. release) of the sanitiser.

It will be understood that the sanitiser may take any suitable form such as a solid form, e.g. tablet, powder, granules, which is dissolvable in fluid so as to release the sanitiser. The sanitiser may be in a liquid form which is dispersible by the fluid so as to release the sanitiser.

The container and control member may be configured to be moveable relative to one 5 another between a maximum setting and a minimum setting, wherein the maximum setting permits a maximum amount of fluid flow to enter the container and wherein the minimum setting permits a minimum amount of fluid flow to enter the container.

Such an arrangement allows further fine tuning of the rate of fluid entering the container, i.e. a maximum amount, minimum amount or somewhere in between. Thus, the release rate of the sanitiser can be fine-tuned as desired.

Optionally each of the container and control member includes respective first and second control openings shaped to permit the maximum and minimum settings upon movement of the container and control member relative to one another.

The inclusion of control openings to permit the maximum and minimum settings provides a cost-effect means for controlling the release rate of the sanitiser.

In one embodiment, the first control opening may include a wide opening portion which tapers in the direction of fluid flow to a narrow opening portion, the wide opening portion corresponding to the maximum setting and the narrow opening portion corresponding to the minimum setting.

In such an embodiment, the second control opening may include an elongate opening extending in parallel with the wide opening portion of the first control opening, the elongate opening being configured to track along the first control opening from the wide opening portion to the narrow opening portion as the container and control member move relative to one another.

The elongate opening of the second control opening being configured to track along the first control opening from the wide opening portion to the narrow portion allows a larger amount of fluid to flow through the first and second control openings at the wide opening portion (i.e. the maximum setting), and allows an increasingly reduced amount of fluid to flow through the first and second control openings as the second control opening tracks towards the narrow opening portion (i.e. the minimum setting) Thus, control of the rate of fluid entering the container, and therefore release of the sanitiser, is permitted.

Optionally the container includes the first control opening and the control member includes the second control opening.

Preferably the container opening is the first control opening. The container opening being the first control opening means that the same opening is used to allow fluid from the fluid flow to enter the container and to control the rate of fluid flow that is permitted to enter the container.

The sanitising assembly may further include a valve head, the container being removably secured to the valve head and the valve head being removeable from the hot tub in use.

The container being removably secured to the valve head and the valve head being removeable from the hot tub in use means that the container can be readily removed from the hot tub to facilitate replacement of the sanitiser.

Preferably the valve head includes an actuation member, the actuation member being operable when the sanitising assembly is in situ to move the container and control member relative to one another to control the fluid flow entering the container.

The valve head including such an actuation member means that the amount of fluid flow entering the container, and thus the rate of release of the sanitiser, can be controlled by a user, e.g. while sitting in the hot tub, without the need to remove any parts of the sanitising assembly.

The container may have a drain to permit sanitised fluid flow to exit the container.

The container having a drain that is separate from the opening that permits fluid to enter the container means that the drain can be correctly positioned on the container to allow optimum exit of the sanitised fluid into the hot tub.

The sanitising assembly may further include a valve member for facilitating diversion of the fluid flow from one zone of the hot tub to another zone of the hot tub.

Such a valve member may form part of, e.g. a diverter, which is already present in the hot tub for diverting fluid flow from one zone of the hot tub to another. For example, fluid from a main source of fluid within the hot tub is passed through jets in a first zone of the hot tub, a fluid flow from one of the jets is directed towards the sanitising assembly and the valve member is able to selectively let fluid flow therebeyond so as to divert that fluid flow to another jet or set of jets in a second zone of the hot tub. The "zones" of the hot tub may refer to areas which depict seating areas for a user within the hot tub.

Thus, an already existing fluid flow within the hot tub is utilised to cause dispersion of the sanitiser.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a hot tub comprising a to sanitising assembly as described above.

Advantages associated with the sanitising assembly according to the first aspect of the invention apply mutatis mutandis to the second aspect of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a fully assembled sanitising assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows the sanitising assembly of Figure 1 partly assembled; Figure 3 shows the sanitising assembly of Figure 1 disassembled; and Figure 4 shows the sanitising assembly of Figure 1 in situ in a diverter portion of a hot tub.

A sanitising assembly according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 5 and is designated generally by reference numeral 10.

The sanitising assembly 10 includes a control member 12 and a container 14. The control member 12 is moveable between an open position to facilitate fluid flow F therebeyond (as shown in Figure 1) and a closed position inhibiting at least a part of a fluid flow F 30 therebeyond.

The container 14 houses a sanitiser (not shown), such as chlorine or bromine tablets, granules, pellets and/or powder, or a liquid. The container 14 has an opening 16 (shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3) which is in fluid communication with the fluid flow F being facilitated by the control member 12 to allow fluid from the fluid flow F to enter the container 14 and cause release of the sanitiser.

The control member 12 and container 14 are movable relative to one another to control the rate of fluid flow F entering the container 14. In particular, the control member 12 has an opening 24 which is in fluid communication with the opening 16 of the container 14 (see Figure 1).

In the embodiment shown, and as shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3, the container 14 has a first control opening 18 which includes a wide opening portion 20 that tapers in the direction of fluid flow F to a narrow opening portion 22. Thus, the first control opening 18 takes the form of a triangle.

Meanwhile, the control member 12 has a second control opening 24, Le. the opening 24 mentioned above, in the form of an elongate opening or slot 26.

The container 14 and control member 12 are configured to be moveable relative to one 15 another between a maximum setting and a minimum setting, wherein the maximum setting permits a maximum amount of fluid flow F to enter the container 14 and wherein the minimum setting permits a minimum amount of fluid flow F to enter the container 14.

In particular, the elongate opening 26 extends in parallel with the wide opening portion 20 of the first control opening 18. The elongate opening 26 is configured to track along the first control opening 18 from the wide opening portion 20 to the narrow opening portion 22 as the container 14 and control member 12 move relative to one another.

Thus, the wide opening portion 20 corresponds to the maximum setting and the narrow opening portion 22 corresponding to the minimum setting.

As can be seen from the figures, the container opening 16 is the first control opening 18.

In other embodiments of the invention, the first and second control openings 18, 24 may take a different form. The control openings 18, 24 may be made up of a plurality of openings, for example, which may take the form of multiple slots or holes. Moreover, the first opening 18 described above may be situated on the control member 12 and the second opening 24 described above may be situated on the container 14.

The sanitising assembly 10 further includes a valve head 28, which is removeable from a hot tub (not shown) in use. The container 14 has an insert opening 30 located at a top end 32 thereof (as shown in Figure 3), which is shaped and sized to allow insertion of the sanitiser. The container 14 is removably secured to the valve head 28 at the top end 32 of the container 14 so that the insert opening 30 is no longer "open", i.e. fluid cannot flow into the container 14 via the insert opening 30 when the container 14 is secured to the valve head 28. In this embodiment, the container 14 is secured to the valve head 28 via mutually engageable threading 34 on the container 14 and the valve head 28, i.e. the container 14 is screwed onto the valve head 28. In other embodiments, any other suitable methods of removably securing the two components may be used.

The control member 121s also secured to the valve head 28. The control member 12 is so to secured such that it is concentric relative to the container 14, i.e. it surrounds the container 14. In this embodiment, the control member 12 is also secured via mutually engageable threading 36 on the control member 12 and the valve head 28. In other embodiments, any other suitable methods of removably securing the two components may be used. Alternatively, the control member 12 may not be removeable from the valve head 28 and thus may be secured via a more permanent means, such as an adhesive. The control member 12 may instead be formed as an integral part of the valve head 28.

The valve head 28 includes an actuation member 38. The actuation member 38 is accessible to a hot tub user when the sanitising assembly 10 is in situ. The actuation member 38 can be operated to move the container 14 and control member 12 relative to one another. More specifically, the actuation member 38 can be rotated so as to rotate the container 14 relative to the control member 12. In other embodiments, the control member 12 may be rotated relative to the container 14 upon operation of the actuation member 38. The actuation member 38 may take any suitable form such as a button or lever.

Although not shown in the figures, the container 14 has a drain located at the bottom end 40 to permit sanitised fluid flow to exit the container 14 and enter the hot tub.

Figure 4 shows a diverter portion 42 of a hot tub into which the sanitising assembly 10 is inserted. As can be seen, the valve head 28, and in particular the actuation member 38, protrudes out the top of the diverter portion 42. It is appreciated that the actuation member 38 would also protrude like this on the outside of the hot tub so that it can be accessed by a user.

The diverter portion 42 includes three ports 44a, 44b, 44b. The first port 44a receives a fluid flow F, e.g. from a jet of the hot tub. The second port 44b selectively permits fluid flow F to exit the diverter portion 42 and be directed to a different zone of the hot tub. The third port 44c permits sanitised fluid from the container 14 to exit the diverter portion 42 and enter the hot tub.

In other embodiments of the invention, the diverter portion 42 may have more than three ports.

The sanitising assembly 10 is inserted into the diverter portion 42 so that the control member 12 and container 14 extend into a middle section 46 of the diverter portion 42 where the three ports 44a, 44b, 44c meet.

The sanitising assembly 10 is removably secured to the diverter portion 42 via the valve head 28. In this embodiment, the valve head 28 is locked onto the diverter portion 42 by a twisting motion to interlock two threads (not shown). Other means can be used to secure the valve head 28, and thus the sanitising assembly 10, to the diverter portion 42.

The diverter portion 42 is preferably located at a corner of a hot tub with the valve head 28 protruding from a flat surface of the corner which is accessible to a user sitting inside the hot tub or from standing outside of the hot tub.

In use, the sanitising assembly 10 is removed from the diverter portion 42, and thus from the hot tub, by twisting the valve head 28 to release the interlocking threads. The valve head 28 is lifted out of the diverter portion 42 and brings with it the control member 12 and container 14 which are secured to the valve head 28.

The container 14 is removed from the valve head 28 by gripping the bottom end 40 of the container 14, which extends beyond the control member 12, with one hand and the valve head 28 with the other hand, and then rotating the container 14 until the mutually engageable threads 34 come to an end and the container 14 is released from the valve head 28.

A sanitiser, e.g. chlorine tablets, is inserted by the user into the container 14 via the insert opening 30 of the container 14.

The container 14 is secured onto the valve head 28 via the mutually engageable threads 34, i.e. by catching the threads 34 and rotating the container 14 in the opposite direction to that described above.

The sanitising assembly 10 is inserted back into the diverter portion 42 and the valve head 28 is twisted to lock it into place. The container 14 and control member 12 extend downwards into the middle section 46 of the diverter portion 42.

Although not shown, the diverter portion 42 includes a valve member which is able to selectively permit fluid flow to pass through the diverter. The valve member is set to the open position, i.e. it does not block the first port 44a. Moreover, the elongate slot 26 of the control member 12 is in line with the first port 44a. The actuation member 38 is set to the maximum setting by rotating it to a position which indicates a maximum (e.g. indicated by text or symbol on the valve head 28). Rotation of the actuation member 38 rotates the container 14 so that the elongate slot 26 of the control member 12 is lined up with the wide opening portion 20 of the first control opening 18 of the container 14.

A flow of fluid F enters the first port 44a and passes past the valve member. The fluid flow is F may be from one of a plurality of jets of the hot tub which are receiving a fluid flow from a main source of fluid (e.g. pumped from a heated and filtered source of fluid).

The elongate slot 26 permits some of the fluid flow F to pass through the elongate slot 26 and through the wide opening portion 20 of the first control opening 18 so as to enter the container 14.

The fluid contacts the sanitiser and causes it to disperse. Since the sanitising assembly 10 is set to the maximum setting, the rate of dispersion is high.

The sanitised fluid exits the container 14 via the drain at the bottom end 40 of the container 14 and enters the fluid being held in the hot tub via the third port 44c. The remainder of the fluid flow F which does not enter the container 14 passes past the control member 12 and exits via the second port 44b. This fluid flow is diverted to another zone of the hot tub.

If a lower dispersion rate is desired, then the actuation member 38 is rotated towards a position which indicates a minimum (e.g. indicated by text or symbol on the valve head 28). Rotation of the actuation member 38 rotates the container 14 so as to move the elongate slot 26 of the control member 12 towards the narrow opening portion 22 of the fist control opening 18 of the container 14.

This time, less fluid is allowed to enter the container 14 because the elongate slot 26 is lined up with a narrower portion of the first control opening 18. Thus, fluid contacts the sanitiser at a lower rate than before and therefore causes it to disperse at a lower rate.

In other embodiment of the invention, the valve head 28, and the container 14 and control member 12 secured thereto, may be inserted into another portion of the hot tub which is not a diverter portion.

Claims

CLAIMS: A sanitising assembly for a hot tub, comprising: a control member movable between an open position to facilitate fluid flow therebeyond and a closed position inhibiting at least a part of a fluid flow therebeyond; and a container for housing a sanitiser, the container having an opening in fluid communication with the fluid flow being facilitated by the control member to allow fluid from the fluid flow to enter the container and cause dispersion of the sanitiser, assembly the control member and the container being movable relative to one another to control the fluid flow entering the container.
2. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the container and control member are configured to be moveable relative to one another between a maximum setting and a minimum setting, wherein the maximum setting permits a maximum amount of fluid flow to enter the container and wherein the minimum setting permits a minimum amount of fluid flow to enter the container.
3. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 2 wherein each of the container and control member includes respective first and second control openings shaped to permit zo the maximum and minimum settings upon movement of the container and control member relative to one another.
4. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 3 wherein the first control opening includes a wide opening portion which tapers in the direction of fluid flow to a narrow opening portion, the wide opening portion corresponding to the maximum setting and the narrow opening portion corresponding to the minimum setting.
5. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 4 wherein the second control opening includes an elongate opening extending in parallel with the wide opening portion of the first control opening, the elongate opening being configured to track along the first control opening from the wide opening portion to the narrow opening portion as the container and control member move relative to one another.
6. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the container includes the first control opening and the control member includes the second control opening.
7. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 6 wherein the container opening is the first control opening.
8. Ansanitising assembly according to any preceding claim further including a valve head, the container being removably secured to the valve head and the valve head being removeable from the hot tub in use.
9. A sanitising assembly according to Claim 8 wherein the valve head includes an actuation member, the actuation member being operable when the sanitising assembly is in situ to move the container and control member relative to one another to control the fluid flow entering the container.
10. A sanitising assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the container has a drain to permit sanitised fluid flow to exit the container.
11. A sanitising assembly according to any preceding claim further including a valve member for facilitating diversion of the fluid flow from one zone of the hot tub to another zone of the hot tub.
12. A hot tub comprising a sanitising assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 11.