WO2005051151A1

WO2005051151A1 - Warm bath device having far-infrared radiation apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2005051151A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/003046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sun-Sim Choi; In-Chul Woo
Original assignee: Sun-Sim Choi; In-Chul Woo
Priority date: 2003-11-28
Filing date: 2004-11-24
Publication date: 2005-06-09
Also published as: KR20050052652A

Abstract

Provided is a warm bath device having a far-infrared radiation apparatus. The warm bath device includes a bathtub including a bottom part and a sidewall part, which form an inner space containing water for a warm bath, a far-infrared radiator installed on the bottom part and radiating far-infrared rays to the inner space by being heated by external thermal energy, and a heating device heating the far-infrared radiator. The warm bath device does not only provide basic benefits of a general warm bath device, but also can improve the circulation of the blood, gradually clean the blood, and provide remarkable therapeutic benefits in the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes, by breaking lumps of cholesterol contained in the blood or attached to inner walls of blood vessels using the far-infrared radiation apparatus installed in the warm bath device. Also, there is no risk of exposure to an environmental hormone.

Description

Description WARM BATH DEVICE HAVING FAR-INFRARED RADIATION APPARATUS Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a warm bath device having a far-infrared radiation apparatus. Background Art

[2] People take a bath to clean themselves, wash off dust and dirt on their body, and relieve stress and fatigue for better health by absorbing useful components, such as oxygen or various kinds of minerals, contained in water through their skin.

[3] There are various kinds of baths including a full-body bath for which one lowers the entire body into a bathtub, a half-body bath for which one lowers only half the bod y into a bathtub, and a warm bath for hands and feet for which one soaks hands or feet in water.

[4] The warm bath for hands and feet is easy to do and suitable for people who cannot have a full-body bath. The bath warms hands and feet, which are one of body parts having the poorest circulation of the blood, to improve the circulation of the blood by expanding blood vessels, relieve physical fatigue in the hands and feet, and remove dust and dirt from the hands and feet.

[5] Warm bath devices for such a bath for hands and feet are now sold in markets. When the warm bath devices are used, people do not need to take off their clothes but just soak their hands and feet therein. Also, the warm bath devices are small. Accordingly, they can be conveniently used in hospitals, institutions for the aged, rehabilitation centers, or homes. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] However, since a bathtub of the conventional warm bath devices for hands and feet is made from a synthetic resin molded product, there is a serious risk that the bathtub may produce an environmental hormone during use. If the environmental hormone is absorbed into the body through skin, negative health consequences may appear. Furthermore, since the conventional warm bath devices can improve the circulation of the blood by simply expanding blood vessels, the blood vessels are contracted again after the bath ends. As a result, the conventional warm bath devices have a temporary effect. Technical Solution

[7] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a warm bath device having a far-infrared radiation apparatus, the warm bath device comprising: a bathtub including a bottom part and a sidewall part forming an inner space containing water; a far-infrared radiator installed on the bottom part and radiating far-infrared rays to the inner space by being heated by external thermal energy; and a heating device heating the far-infrared radiator.

[8] The heating device may comprise: a heating part attached to the far-infrared radiator and heating the far-infrared radiator by being supplied with external electricity; and a controller controlling the temperature of the heating part by adjusting the amount of power supplied to the heating part.

[9] The heating part may comprise a coil supplied with external electricity; a sealed tube through which the coil passes; and a far-infrared radiator filled in the sealed tube.

[10] The far-infrared radiator may be a far-infrared radiation plate made by forming far infrared ray emitting minerals to a predetermined thickness.

[11] The far-infrared radiation plate may have a heating plate positioned thereon such that a top surface of the heating plate becomes a part of a bottom surface of the bathtub.

[12] An installation hole may be formed at the center of the bottom part and may have a support projection formed along an inner circumferential surface thereof to provide a support force upward, wherein the heating plate is inserted into the installation hole and has its edge supported on the support projection, and a heat-resistant silicon for sealing and heat insulation is installed between the edge and the support projection.

[13] The warm bath device may further comprise a supporting member installed on the bottom part inside the bathtub and allowing a target body part for the warm bath to be placed thereon.

[14] The supporting member may be an auxiliary plate of a predetermined area having a through-hole that opens the bottom part to water.

[15] The supporting member may comprise: two support frames spaced apart from each other; and one or more crossbars each having both ends supported on the support frames and allowing the target body part for the warm bath to be placed thereon.

[16] Each of the crossbars may comprise: a hollow tube extending in a longitudinal direction and having both ends supported on the support frames; and a far-infrared radiator filled in the hollow tube and radiating far-infrared rays.

[17] The warm bath device may further comprise a hip bath seat disposed over the bathtub and having a central through-hole such that a user can sit on the hip bath seat to have a hip bath through the through-hole. Advantageous Effects

[18] The warm bath device does not only provide basic benefits of a general warm bath device, but also can improve the circulation of the blood, gradually clean the blood, and provide remarkable therapeutic benefits in the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes, by breaking lumps of cholesterol contained in the blood or attached to inner walls of blood vessels using the far-infrared radiation apparatus installed in the warm bath device. Also, there is no risk of exposure to an environmental hormone. Description of Drawings

[19] FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a basic structure of a warm bath device having a far- infrared radiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heater installable inside a heating part of the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[21] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the heater taken along line πi-III shown in FIG. 2.

[22] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a supporting member installed on the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[23] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the supporting member shown in FIG. 4.

[24] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another supporting member installable on the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[25] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a case where the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1 is used as a hip bath device.

[26] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a hip bath seat of the hip bath device shown in FIG. 7. Best Mode

[27] The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.

[28] FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a basic structure of a warm bath device having a far- infrared radiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[29] Referring to FIG. 1, a warm bath device 11 includes a bathtub 13 and a far-infrared radiation apparatus 23. The bathtub 13 includes a bottom part 13b and a sidewall part 13a forming an inner space containing water w for a warm bath for hands and feet. The far-infrared radiation apparatus 23 heats the water w contained in the bathtub 13 and radiates far-infrared rays.

[30] The far-infrared radiation apparatus 23 includes a heating plate 15, a far-infrared radiation plate 17, a heating part 19, and a controller 21 that controls a heating operation of the heating part 19.

[31] The bathtub 13 is made of stainless steel that does not produce an environmental hormone and has high durability.

[32] An installation hole 27 is formed at the center of the bottom part 13b of the bathtub 13. The installation hole 27 has a predetermined diameter, and a support projection 29 is formed along an inner circumferential surface of the installation hole 27 to provide a support force upward.

[33] The heating part 19, the far-infrared radiation plate 17, and the heating plate 15 are combined together and then inserted into the installation hole 27. The heating part 19, the far-infrared radiation plate 17, and the heating plate 15 are attached to one another, and are spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the installation hole 27.

[34] The heating part 19 is a well-known heating means that is supplied with external electricity to produce heat to heat the far-infrared radiation plate 17. The heating part 19 may perform heating in various ways. For example, a heater 19a having a coil shown in FIG. 2 may be used in the heating part 19.

[35] The controller 21 that provides power to the heating part 19 and controls the temperature of the heating part 19 is well-known temperature control means for converting external electricity and providing the same to the heating part 19. The controller 21 includes a display unit 21a, a temperature controller 21b, and an on/off switch 21c.

[36] The display unit 21a displays the present temperature of the heating part 19 during operation, and the temperature controller 21b controls the temperature of the heating part 19. As such, the temperature of the water w can be properly controlled by the temperature controller 21b. The on/off switch 21c turns on or off the heating part 19.

[37] A temperature sensor (not shown) may be installed inside the bathtub 13 and a display window may be installed on the controller 21 such that the temperature of the water w sensed by the temperature sensor can be checked at any time through the display window.

[38] The far-infrared radiation plate 17 is made by using minerals known that emit far- infrared rays. Examples of the minerals include germanium, elvan, ceramic, loess, and mixtures of crystal, quartz, pegmatite, fluorite, etc. The far-infrared radiation plate 17, which can radiate far-infrared rays by itself, radiates far-infrared rays more actively when being heated by the heating part 19.

[39] Far-infrared rays are known to increase the temperature of body tissues, expand tiny blood vessels, promote the circulation of the blood, improve metabolism, and accelerates the self-renewal functions of cells such that the rays have remarkable therapeutic benefits in the treatment of women's diseases, neural diseases, and geriatric disease. Particularly, the far-infrared rays are known to be able to break lumps of cholesterol contained in the blood or attached to blood vessels.

[40] The heating plate 15 disposed on the far-infrared radiation plate 17 is a circular plate made of the same material as the bathtub 13, and has a top surface that becomes a part of a bottom surface of the bathtub 13. Further, an outer circumferential surface of the heating plate 15 is spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the installation hole 27.

[41] The edge of the heating plate 15 is supported on the support projection 29 and a heat-resistant silicon ring 25 is inserted between the edge of the heating plate 15 and the support projection 29. The heat-resistant silicon ring 25 horizontally supports the edge of the heating plate 15, and the heating plate 15 does not contact the support projection 29. The heat-resistance silicon ring 25 prevents the water w from leaking out of the heating plate 15.

[42] Since the heating plate 15, the far-infrared radiation plate 17, and the heating part 19 are spaced apart from the bottom part 13b as previously mentioned, heat produced by the heating part 19 is not directly transferred to the bottom part 13b. The heat produced by the heating part 19 is transferred to the bathtub 13 through the far-infrared radiation plate 17, the heating plate 15, and the water w.

[43] Accordingly, the bathtub 13 has a temperature lower than the temperature of the water w. Thus, there is no risk that a user is burned on the bathtub 13 as far as the temperature of the water w is controlled.

[44] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heater installable in the heating part of the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[45] Referring to FIG. 2, a heater 19a installable in the heating part 19 is substantially circularly curved, and includes a sealed tube 19c having terminals on both ends thereof, a coil 19d shown in FIG. 3 passing through the sealed tube 19c in a longitudinal direction of the sealed tube 19c and internally connected to the terminals 19b, and a far-infrared radiator 19e shown in FIG. 3 filled in the sealed tube 19c and surrounding the coil 19d.

[46] The terminals 19b seal the both ends of the sealed tube 19c while being connected to the coil 19d. The terminals 19b are supplied with external electricity through the controller 21. [47] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the heater taken along line πi-III shown in FIG. 2.

[48] Referring to FIG. 3, the coil 19d is positioned at the center of the sealed tube 19c. The coil 19d is a general coil that produces heat using the external electricity and heats the sealed tube 19c. In particular, the far-infrared radiator 19e surrounding the coil 19d radiates far-infrared rays to the outside of the sealed tube 19c when the coil 19d produces heat. The far-infrared radiator 19e is powder made of the same material as the far-infrared radiation plate 17 shown in FIG. 1.

[49] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an auxiliary plate 31 installed on the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[50] Referring to FIG. 4, the auxiliary plate 31 is installed on the bottom part 13b of the bathtub 13. The auxiliary plate 31 is a plate on which a user's hands or feet to be bathed are placed. That is, the auxiliary plate 31 is disposed on the heating plate 15 such that the user is guided to unconsciously put his or her hands or feet on the auxiliary plate 31, that is, over the far-infrared radiation plate 17.

[51] Of course, the reason why the auxiliary plate 31 is disposed on the heating plate 15 is that the intensity of far-infrared rays is highest at the upper part of the heating plate 15. The auxiliary plate 31 may be made of the same material as the far-infrared radiation plate 17 to radiate far-infrared rays by itself

[52] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the auxiliary plate 31 shown in FIG. 4.

[53] Referring to FIG. 5, the auxiliary plate 31 is a square plate of a predetermined thickness having a plurality through-holes 31a formed therein. The through-holes 31a permit the heating plate 15 to contact the water w, and help the far-infrared rays radiated from the far-infrared radiation plate 17 to move upward without obstruction.

[54] The greater the total area of the through-holes 31a, the better effect of the far- infrared rays.

[55] While the auxiliary plate 31 has a square shape in FIGS. 4 and 5, it can have various shapes.

[56] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another auxiliary plate 41 installable on the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1.

[57] The auxiliary plate 41 has the same functions as the auxiliary plate 31 shown in FIG. 4 and is installed on the heating plate 15.

[58] Referring to FIG. 6, the auxiliary plate 41 includes two parallel support frames 41a facing each other, two connecting rods 41b connecting the support frames 41a and maintaining a distance between the support frames 41a, and a plurality of parallel crossbars 41d each having both ends supported on the support frames 41a. [59] The two support frames 41a have the same shapes, and have a plurality of insertion holes 41c into which the both ends of the crossbars 41d are inserted. The support frames 41a may be made of stainless steel. The crossbars 41d on which hands or feet to be bathed are placed are spaced a predetermined distance from one another and send upward the far-infrared rays emitted from the far-infrared radiation plate 17.

[60] Each of the crossbars 41d includes a hollow tube 41e with a predetermined diameter open at both ends, a far-infrared radiator 4 If filled in the hollow tube 41e, and sealing caps 41g sealing the both ends of the hollow tube 41e and inserted into the insertion holes 41c. The far-infrared radiator 41f is powder made of the same material as the far-infrared radiator 19e filled in the sealed tube 19c shown in FIG. 2.

[61] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a case where the warm bath device shown in FIG. 1 is used as a hip bath device.

[62] Referring to FIG. 7, a hip bath seat 35 is installed over the bathtub 13. The hip bath seat 35 having a shape shown in FIG. 8 is installed over the bathtub 13 such that a user sits on the hip bath seat 35 to have a hip bath.

[63] Both ends of the hip bath seat 35 are bent downward to form legs 35b extending to the ground. A central through-hole 35 is formed in the hip bath seat 35. The through- hole 35a is positioned under the surface of the water such that the hip of the user sitting on the hip bath seat 35 is soaked in the water. The user can have a hip bath without soaking the hip in the water. For example, the user may fill a small amount of water in the bathtub 13 and just soak in the heat and steam of the water.

[64] The legs 35b bear the user's weight and enables the bathtub 13 to be positioned under the hip bath seat 35.

[65] When the warm bath device 11 is used as the hip bath device according to the present embodiment, far-infrared rays produced from the far-infrared radiation plate 17 are applied to a target part of the hip while the water is maintained at an appropriate temperature by the heating part 19, thereby increasing the benefits of the hip bath. That is, the far-infrared rays penetrate deeply into the lower layer of the hip to provide excellent benefits, for example, promote the circulation of the blood, cleans dust or toxins out of the body, activates oxidized cells of the pertinent body part, and clean the blood.

[66] The hip bath seat 35 may be made of the same stainless steel as the bathtub 13, or may be made of ceramic.

[67] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hip bath seat 35 shown in FIG. 7.

[68] Referring to FIG. 8, the hip bath seat 35 with a predetermined width has the both ends bent downward to form the legs 35b. The legs 35b bear the user's weight and maintain the hip bath seat 35 at a horizontal level.

[69] Further, the through-hole 35a formed at the center of the hip bath seat 35 is a hole that permits the target part of the hip to be opened downward and socked in the water when the user sits on the hip bath seat 35. Of course, the through-hole 35a can have various shapes.

[70] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Industrial Applicability

[71] As described above, the warm bath device does not only provide basic benefits of a general warm bath device, but also can improve the circulation of the blood, gradually clean the blood, and provide remarkable therapeutic benefits in the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes, by breaking lumps of cholesterol contained in the blood or attached to inner walls of blood vessels using the far-infrared radiation apparatus installed in the warm bath device. Also, there is no risk of exposure to an environmental hormone.

Claims

[1] A warm bath device having a far-infrared radiation apparatus, the warm bath device comprising: a bathtub including a bottom part and a sidewall part, which form an inner space containing water for a warm bath; a far-infrared radiator installed on the bottom part and radiating far-infrared rays to the inner space by being heated by external thermal energy; and a heating device heating the far-infrared radiator.

[2] The warm bath device of claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises: a heating part attached to the far-infrared radiator and heating the far-infrared radiator by being supplied with external electricity; and a controller controlling the temperature of the heating part by adjusting the amount of power supplied to the heating part.

[3] The warm bath device of claim 2, wherein the heating part comprises: a coil supplied with external electricity and emitting heat; a sealed tube through which the coil passes; and a far-infrared radiator filled in the sealed tube.

[4] The warm bath device of claim 1, wherein the far-infrared radiator is a far- infrared radiation plate made by forming far infrared emitting minerals to a predetermined thickness.

[5] The warm bath device of claim 4, wherein the far-infrared radiation plate has a heating plate positioned thereon such that a top surface of the heating plate becomes a part of a bottom surface of the bathtub.

[6] The warm bath device of claim 5, wherein an installation hole is formed at the center of the bottom part and has a support projection formed along an inner circumferential surface thereof to provide a support force upward, wherein the heating plate is inserted into the installation hole and has its edge supported on the support projection, and a heat-resistant silicon for sealing and heat insulation is installed between the edge and the support projection.

[7] The warm bath device of one of claims 1 through 6, further comprising a supporting member installed on the bottom part inside the bathtub and allowing a target body part for the warm bath to be placed thereon.

[8] The warm bath device of claim 7, wherein the supporting member is an auxiliary plate of a predetermined area having a through-hole that opens the bottom part to the water. [9] The warm bath device of claim 7, wherein the supporting member comprises: two support frames spaced apart from each other; and one or more crossbars each having both ends supported on the support frames and allowing the target body part for the warm bath to be placed thereon. [10] The warm bath device of claim 9, wherein each of the crossbars comprises: a hollow tube extending in a longitudinal direction and having both ends supported on the support frames; and a far-infrared radiator filled in the hollow tube and radiating far-infrared rays. [11] The warm bath device of one of claims 1 through 6, further comprising a hip bath seat disposed over the bathtub and having a central through-hole such that a user sits on the hip bath seat to have a hip bath through the through-hole.