US3273560A

US3273560A - Hydrotherapy unit

Info

Publication number: US3273560A
Application number: US299698A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jacuzzi Candido
Original assignee: Jacuzzi Brothers Inc
Current assignee: Jacuzzi Inc
Priority date: 1963-08-05
Filing date: 1963-08-05
Publication date: 1966-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-20
Also published as: GB1067860A; JPS4916475B1; DE1491295A1; DE1491295C3; DE1491295B2; SE324427B

Description

Sept. 20, 1966 c. JACUZZI 3,273,560

HYDROTHERAPY UNIT Filed Aug. 5

, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl G. 3

, INVENTOR. 2 (44 0/00 JACUZZ/ ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1966 c. JACUZZI HYDROTHERAPY UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1963 5 INVENTOR.

(AND/00 JflCZ/ZZ/ FIG.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,273,560 HYDROTHERAPY UNIT Candido Jacuzzi, Lafayette, Califi, assignor to Jacuzzi Bros., Inc., Richmond, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 299,698 12 Claims. (Cl. 12866) This invention relates to hydrotherapy apparatus and more particularly to apparatus similar to that shown in Jacuzzi et al., No. 2,738,787 and application of Candido Jacuzzi, Serial No. 265,426, filed Mar. 15, 1963, and now Patent No. 3,159,849, co-pending herewith.

The present invention relates to improvements in such hydrotherapy apparatus whereby a portable hydrotherapy unit is provided in which the housing is divided into two rigid portions connected together by a flexible hose whereby one of the rigid portions may be mounted on the floor outside of a bathtub While the other rigid portion is positioned inside of the bathtub with two rigid portions connected together by the flexible hose extending over the side wall of the tub. This apparatus may be handled very easily as a portable hydrotherapy unit since the heaviest components of the unit may be mounted outside of the bathtub and need not be lifted into the bathtub; additionally, the unit is adapted for use in a wide variety of bathtubs where the rigid portion of the housing which is mounted in the bathtub occupies very little space in the bathtub.

While the apparatus of the above mentioned patent was very safe from the standpoint of preventing electrical shock to the patient using the apparatus, the construction of the present portable hydrotherapy unit provides even additional safety by removing the electrical components of the apparatus to a position remote from the bathtub and there-by further reducing the possibility of failure of the apparatus through hydraulic short circuits.

In connection with the provision of these improvements in portable hydrotherapy apparatus, the apparatus is provided with improved means for priming the pump in the unit and improved safety means for preventing operation of the unit when it is not properly primed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of improved portable hydrotherapy apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention with the apparatus shown mounted in a bathtub;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the plane indicated at 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane indicated at 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the plane indicated at 4-4 in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus of FIG. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the portable hydrotherapy apparatus illustrated therein includes an outer pump housing portion mounted on the floor outside of the bathtub 12 and connected by a flexible conduit 14 to an inner nozzle housing portion 16. The nozzle housing 16 has a rigid body 18 to the back of which is mounted a rubber suction cup 20 by means of a plate 22 and screws 24 (FIG. 2) whereby the nozzle housing 16 is mounted on the end wall 26 of the bathtub.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a perforated screen 28 is mounted around the periphery of the nozzle housing body 18 by means of screws 30 with the screen providing an inlet opening into the body 18 for flow of fluid from the bathtub into a vacuum inlet chamber 32 in the body 18. The body 18 has interior cast walls 34 which provide a pressure chamber 36 in the body 18 communicating with a discharge nozzle assembly 38 as indicated hereafter. The vacuum and

pressure chambers

32 and 36 respectively terminate in concentric vacuum and

pressure fittings

40 and 42 at the top of the body 18.

As indicated in FIGS. 1-3, the flexible portion 14 of the housing is made of concentric outer and inner hoses 4-4 and 46 which are connected to the

fittings

40 and 42 respectively, the inner hose 46 being made of conventional pressure hose stock adapted to convey liquid under pressure, and the outer hose 44 being made of conventional vacuum hose stock the periphery of which is provided with helical corrugations which prevent the hose from collapsing when subjected to interior vacuum.

The nozzle assembly 38 mentioned above includes a generally spherical portion 48 supported on a frustospherical seat on the wall elements 34 by means of a cap 50 which is mounted on the body 18 by bolts 52 (FIG. 1), the cap 50 also having an interior frusto-spherical seat as seen in FIG. 2 so that the spherical portion 48 of the nozzle assembly may be pivoted in the body 18 in both horizontal and vertical planes perpendicular to the wall 26 of the bathtub. A slot 54 is provided in the spherical portion 48 of the nozzle assembly and receives a pin 56 which is mounted in the body 18 limiting pivotal movement of the nozzle assembly 38 in a vertical plane.

As indicated .in FIG. 2, a central fluid passageway is provided by the spherical member 48 communicating with the pres-sure chamber 36, and a boss 58 is mounted in this fluid passageway by web elements (not shown) with the boss 58 providing a valve seat 60. An elongated nozzle member 62 is threadedly mounted in the member 48 for movement toward and away from the seat 60. The nozzle member 62 has a venturi throat which communicates through ports 64 with an air chamber 66 in the member 48 surrounding the nozzle 62.. The air chamber 66 communicates through a lateral opening 68 in the member 48 with a vertical air supply tube 70 (FIG. 3) which carries at its upper end an adjustable air supply cap '72.

As indicated by the flow arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3, water enters the body 18 through the screen 28 and hence flows through the vacuum chamber 32 to the interior of the vacuum hose 44. Water is sucked through the vacuum hose 44 to the pump housing 10 and is returned under pressure through pressure hose 46 as explained hereinafter. The water delivered under pressure from hose 46 enters pressure chamber 36 and passes through the adjustable opening between valve seat 60 and nozzle 62 and hence through the venturi opening in the nozzle 62 where it draws air into the nozzle through the apertures 64.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pump housing 10 includes a base portion 74 having interior walls 76 which define an intake chamber 78 and a discharge chamber 80 which are connected by

fittings

81 and 83 respectively to the vacuum and

pressure hoses

44 and 46. A rotary impeller 82 is mounted on a central shaft 84 which is driven by an electric motor in the upper portion of the housing through a bearing 86 and water seal 88. When the impeller 82 is driven in rotation, it impels Water from its eye through its peripheral discharge 90, hence through diffuser vanes 92 to a peripheral pressure chamber 94. In the pressure chamber 94 water flows upwardly to an upper passageway 96 through which the water flows into the discharge chamber 80.

A cup 98 is mounted above the impeller 82 in fluid communication therewith through its lower opening 100, and the cup 98 carries a pair of upper ports 102 by which water passing through the upper portion 96 of the pressure chamber 94 may flow into the cup 98, and through which air may flow out of the cup 98 into the upper portion 96 of the pressure chamber 94. The cup 98 defines an interior float chamber in which the float 104 of a float switch 106 is mounted. The float 104 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 108 which extends through a water seal in a wall 112 of the pump housing assembly to a dry compartment in which electrical switch 106 is mounted. The walls 112 form part of an upper cap casting 114 on which the electric motor is mounted by bolts 116. The cap 114 is mounted on the lower casting 74 by means of bolts (not shown). The float switch 106 is a switch which is normally open when water is not present in the cup 98 but which closes when the float 104 rises in the cup 98 rotating the shaft 108 responsive to introduction of water into the cup 98. The switch 106 is connected to the electric motor to prevent operation of the electric motor until the switch 106 closes, and a manual start switch 118 (FIG. 1) is connected in series with the motor and switch 106.

During operation of the pump impeller 82, water flows from the vacuum hose 44 to the intake chamber 78 through the impeller 82 and hence through the pressure chamber 94, upwardly to the upper portion 96 thereof and hence through the discharge chamber 80 to the pressure hose 46; during movement of water through this flow path, very little water passes through the interior of the cup 98, but when operation of the impeller is stopped and water permitted to drain from the cup 98, the float switch 106 opens to prevent operation of the impeller until the pump is re-primed. Priming of the pump is accomplished by introducing water into the vacuum hose 44 at the nozzle assembly end thereof. Water so introduced into the vacuum hose flows through the intake chamber 78 and upwardly around the impeller 82 and through the pressure chamber 94 while air is displaced from the interior of the cup 98 through the apertures 102 and the upper portion 96 of the pressure chamber 94; when the water in the cup 98 rises to a sufiicient extent that the float switch 106 is closed, the impeller may then again operate.

Introduction of water into the vacuum hose 44 to prime the pump may be accomplished by injecting water into the vacuum hose or by the application of suction to the pressure hose. Thus, the air pipe 70 may be closed by rotating the cap 72 thereon, and a hand vacuum pump fitted into the conical mouth of the nozzle 62 to extract air from the pressure hose 46 while drawing water into the vacuum hose 44. On the other hand, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a lateral conduit 120 is provided in the nozzle housing end of the hose 44 with the conduit 120 extending through the fitting 40 and having a lip 122 on its outer edge over which an auxiliary hose may be attached for connecting the vacuum hose 44 to the water faucet in a bathtub. When water is introduced into the conduit 120 in sufliciently high volume from the faucet, the water will flow through the vacuum line 44 to prime the pump, and priming in this manner may be facilitated by partially covering the screen 28 with any suitable object.

While one particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, it is obvious that many modifications thereof may 'be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

1. In a portable hydrotherapy apparatus adapted to be used in a bathtub or the like comprising:

(A) a water inlet adapted to be removably positioned in a bathtub below the water level therein;

(B) a nozzle adapted to be removably positioned in a bathtub below the water level therein,

(C) a water pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet,

(D) an electric motor, and

(E) connecting means for effecting movement of water from said water inlet to said nozzle responsive to operation of said electric motor with said connecting means comprising (1) communicating means connecting said water inlet to said pump inlet and connecting said pump outlet to said nozzle, and (2) drive means connecting said electric motor to said pump for driving said pump to pump water from said pump inlet to said pump outlet, the improvement comprising:

(A) a first unitary housing adapted to be removably positioned in a bathtub below the water level therein, said first housing having mounted therein for support there'by said water inlet and said nozzle (B) a second housing adapted to be removably positioned outside of a bathtub adjacent thereto, said second housing having mounted therein for support thereby said electric motor, and

(C) a flexible conduit connecting said housing, said conduit being adapted to extend over the edge of a bathtub from said first housing to said second housing with at least a portion of said connecting means mounted in said conduit.

2. The improved hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 1 in which said flexible conduit comprises a pair of concentric tubular members each forming, respectively, at least part of the communicating means connecting said water inlet to said pump inlet and said pump outlet to said nozzle, said members each being formed of an electrical insulating material.

3. A portable hydrotherapy apparatus for use in bathtubs and the like which comprises:

(A) a pump housing adapted to be removably positioned outside of a bathtub adjacent thereto with said housing containing (1) an electric motor and (2) a water pump connected to said electric motor to be driven thereby and having a ump inlet and a pump outlet,

(B) a unitary nozzle housing adapted to be removably positioned in a bathtub below the water level therein and having mounted therein for support thereby a water inlet and a discharge nozzle, and

(C) conduit means connecting said pump housing and said nozzle housing and adapted to extend therebetween over the edge of a bath tub, with said conduit means having (1) a first water conducting passageway connecting said pump inlet to said water inlet, and

(2) a second water conducting passageway connecting said pump outlet to said nozzle.

4. A portable hydrotherapy apparatus for use in bathtubs and the like which comprises:

(A) a pump housing adapted to be removably positioned outside of a bathtub adjacent thereto with said housing containing (1) an electric motor, and

(2) a rotary pump impeller connected to said electric motor to be driven in rotation thereby with said impeller having a water inlet eye and a peripheral water discharge,

(B) a unitary nozzle housing adapted to be removably mounted in a bathtub below the water level therein, said nozzle housing having mounted therein for support thereby (1) a water inlet cavity, and

(2) a water discharge nozzle for delivering a water stream in a bathtub in which said nozzle housing is mounted, and

(C) a pair of flexible conduits connecting said housings and adapted to extend therebetween over the e-dg of a bathtub with said conduits having (1) a first conduit connecting said inlet cavity to said eye, and

(2) a second conduit connecting said peripheral discharge to said nozzle.

5. The hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 4 in which a float switch is mounted in said pump housing above the level of and in housing confined fluid communication with said impeller inlet eye, and said switch is electrically connected to said electric motor to prevent operation of said electric motor when water is not present at said impeller eye.

6. The hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 5 characterized further by the inclusion of priming means for introducing water into said pump housing below said float switch with said priming means including injection means for introducing water from a source thereof under pressure directly into said first conduit adjacent to said nozzle housing.

7. The hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 4 in which said nozzle is mounted on said nozzle housing for discharging a jet of water in a predetermined direction from said nozzle housing and a suction cup is mounted on said nozzle housing for supporting said nozzle housing on a wall of a bathtub with said suction cup facing away from said nozzle housing in a direction generally opposite to said predetermined direction.

8. The hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 4 characterized further in that said nozzle housing comprises a body having a back wall adapted to be mounted on an end wall of a bathtub with said body defining a pressure passageway connected to said second conduit, and said nozzle is mounted on said body for rocking movement in both vertical and horizontal planes perpendicular to said back wall with said nozzle communicating with said pressure passageway.

9. A portable hydrotherapy apparatus for use in bathtubs and the like which comprises (A) a pump housing adapted to be removably positioned outside of a bathtub adjacent thereto with said housing containing 1) an electric motor (2) a rotary pump impeller mounted below said motor and connected to said motor to be driven in rotation thereby, said impeller having a water inlet eye and a peripheral water discharge, and

(3) a float operate-d switch having a float actuator mounted below said motor and above and in housing confined fluid communication with said impeller eye, said switching being electricaL ly connected to said motor to prevent operation of said motor when water is not present at said impeller eye to lift said actuator,

(B) a unitary nozzle housing adapted to be removably mounted in a bathtub below the water level therein with said nozzle housing having mounted therein for support thereby (1 a water inlet cavity, and

(2) a water discharge nozzle for delivering a water stream in a bathtub in which said nozzle housing is mounted,

(C) a pair of conduits connecting said housings and adapted to extend therebetween over the edge of a bathtub with said conduits including (1) a first conduit for conducting water from said inlet cavity to the eye of said impeller, and

(2) a second conduit for conducting water from said peripheral discharge to said nozzle, and

(D) priming means for introducing water into said pump housing below said float switch with said priming means including injection means for introducing water from a source thereof under pressure directly into said first conduit adjacent to said nozzle housing.

'10. Hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a bathtub, a pump housing mounted outside of said bathtub and having water inlet and outlet openings therein communicating with the interior of said bathtub for conveying water from said bathtub to said housing and back to said bathtub from said housing, an impeller rotatably mounted in said housing 'for impelling water from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, an electric motor connected to said impeller for driving said impeller in rotation, and a float switch having a float mounted in said housing in housing confined fluid communication with said impeller and at a level in said housing above said impeller with said float switch electrically connected to said motor for preventing operation of said motor when the Water level in said housing is below said impeller.

11. The hydrotherapy apparatus of claim 10 characterized further by the inclusion of a manually operatable start switch for starting said motor with said motor, said start switch, and said float switch electrically connected in series.

12. A nozzle assembly for hydrotherapy apparatus adapted to be removably mounted in a bathtub which comprises a body having a back wall with an outwardly facing suction cup mounted thereon, said cup being adapted to be secured in engagement with a wall portion of said bathtub to mount said body therein, said body having vacuum and pressure passageways therein, terminal fittings for connecting said passageways to the vacuum and pressure sides respectively of a pump, and a Water inlet opening extending from said vacuum passageway through the walls of said body; and a nozzle mounted on said body on the side of said body opposite to said back wall of said body and facing substantially opposite to said suction cup with said. nozzle having a fluid discharge passageway extending therethrough in communication with said pressure passageway in said body and with said nozzle mounted for limited rocking movement on said body in both horizontal and vertical planes perpendicular to said back wall of said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,639 7/ 1918 Dunn 10326 1,755,000 4/1930 Haentjens 103l26 2,091,167 8/1937 Solley 128-370 2,280,979 4/1942 Rocke 128-46 5 2,799,866 7/1957 Jawett 12866 2,930,867 3/!1960 Nash 10326 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,590 4/ 1917 Great Britain. 280,670 7/1952 Switzerland.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. L. W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner,

Claims

3. A PORTABLE HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS FOR USE IN BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A PUMP HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY POSITIONED OUTSIDE OF A BATHTUB ADJACENT THERETO WITH SAID HOUSING CONTAINING (1) AN ELECTRIC MOTOR AND (2) A WATER PUMP CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY AND HAVING A PUMP INLET AND A PUMP OUTLET, (B) A UNITARY NOZZLE HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN A BATHTUB BELOW THE WATER LEVEL THEREIN AND HAVING MOUNTED THEREIN FOR SUPPORT THEREBY A WATER INLET AND A DISCHARGE NOZZLE, AND (C) CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID PUMP HOUSING AND SAID NOZZLE HOUSING AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND THEREBETWEEN OVER THE EDGE OF A BATH TUB, WITH SAID CONDUIT MEANS HAVING (1) A FIRST WATER CONDUCTING PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING SAID PUMP INLET TO SAID WATER INLET, AND (2) A SECOND WATER CONDUCTING PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING SAID PUMP OUTLET TO SAID NOZZLE.