WO2006130894A2

WO2006130894A2 - Hand or foot bath

Info

Publication number: WO2006130894A2
Application number: PCT/AT2006/000233
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen FÖTTINGER; Thomas Plank; Georg Thomas Granegger
Original assignee: Foettinger Juergen; Thomas Plank; Georg Thomas Granegger
Priority date: 2005-06-10
Filing date: 2006-06-08
Publication date: 2006-12-14
Also published as: WO2006130894A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand or foot bath (1) with a trough (2) to house an electrically-conducting bath water (3), with electrodes (5, 6), assembled to give a module (4) which at least partly extend into the bath water (3) of the trough (2) to form a electrolytic cell and provided with a controller (7) which supplies the electrodes (5, 6) with electricity according to a set programme. According to the invention, advantageous operational conditions can be achieved, whereby the material of the electrode (6) acting as anode at least partly comprises graphite and/or titanium and/or platinum.

Description

Bath for feet or hands

Technical area

The invention relates to a bath for feet or hands with a trough for receiving an electrically conductive bathing water, combined with a unit electrodes which protrude to form an electrolysis at least partially into the bath water of the tub, and with a control device, which in response to a predetermined Program electrically applied to the electrodes.

State of the art

In order to provide electrolysis in the bath water of a bath for feet or hands, it is known from the prior art to allow electrodes to protrude into the bath water, wherein the electrodes are electrically acted upon by a control device by means of different programs. So that a user of the bath can not cause a short circuit of the electrodes, such electrodes are combined to form a structural unit. Since the electrodes acting as anodes tend to dissolve in the electrically conductive bath water during the electrolysis, a discoloration of the bath water must be accepted. However, such discoloration of the bathwater are usually undesirable. Are still additives, such as salt, added to increase the conductivity of the bath water, so the discoloration rate increases, so that in the known foot baths disadvantageously the bath water must be replaced relatively often, which also leads to high operating costs of such baths in terms of the required additives , It is also known from DE 851 992 C to generate an electric field between the user and the bath. An electrode provided for this purpose at the edge of the bath may contain graphite as material, the counter electrode, in particular used as an anode, being applied to the user. The anode used is, for example, a tinplate. Thus, DE 851 992 C can give no indication to avoid discoloration of the bath water in an electrolysis, and also in this application, a user of the bath is comparatively strongly electrically involved in the electrolysis, which is inventively it to avoid.

Presentation of the invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide such a bath for feet or hands with an electrolysis of the kind so that no discoloration of the bath water can occur and thus the operating costs can be kept low.

The invention solves this problem by the fact that the material of the anode acting as an electrode at least partially graphite and / or titanium and / or platinum.

If the material of the electrode acting as an anode at least partially comprises graphite and / or titanium and / or platinum, then, in contrast to the prior art, it can be avoided that discoloration of the bath water occurs during electrolysis. It has been found that in the electrolysis minor flocculations of graphite remain undissolved in the bath water, so that even with prolonged electrolysis the bath water does not have to be exchanged, whereby the consumption of costly additives can be kept low. The invention is therefore also characterized by the low operating costs compared to known foot baths. In addition, it has surprisingly been found that the same effect can be achieved with anodes whose materials partially titanium and / or platinum. Simple constructive conditions are created when the electrodes acting as an anode consist entirely of a graphite material.

If the electrodes consist of a graphite material and the control device changes the modes of action of the respective electrode from anode to cathode or cathode to anode depending on the program, the life of the electrodes combined to form a structural unit can be extended. Namely, an anode worn by the electrolysis may continue to operate as a cathode, and then the unsoldered cathode is used instead of the worn anode. Thus, it is possible over the prior art to further reduce the operating costs of the bath according to the invention.

If a water-permeable housing comprises the electrodes combined to form a unit in such a way that a short circuit of the electrodes by a user of the bath for the feet or hands can be ruled out, a user is easily protected against electric shocks of the electrodes.

If the electrodes are held interchangeable at the bottom of the tub and leads to the electrodes connected to the control device cable with a Stekkerverbindung, so can be replaced with an opening of the plug connection in a simple way a worn electrode, so as to ensure a consistent electrolysis can.

If the structural unit additionally contains a limiting element which, as a function of the operating time of the electrodes, interrupts the electrical connection to the control device, then the number of applications of the electrodes can be limited independently of the control device. A consistent quality of electrolysis is ensured.

Belongs to the bathroom, a base station with power supply and is the tub with the electrodes on the base station releasably installable, so will easily a device for the medical treatment of feet and Hands created, in which a change of the bath water at any time without contact of the power supply with bath water is possible. In fact, it is only necessary to remove the trough from the base station, the electronics or the like remaining in the base station. The base station can thus remain connected to the mains voltage supply and a threat to the person changing the bath water by the mains voltage is not to be feared, since direct contact of the mains voltage supplied elements of the device with water is reliably avoided. To change the bath water only the tub, for example by means attached to the tub handles, lifted from the base station and the plug-in coupling between the base station and electrodes are solved, since the electrodes are connected via a plug-in coupling with the control device. The control device for selecting the individual treatment programs is preferably arranged in the base station and acts on the care or treatment attachment or the electrodes in dependence on the predetermined program electrically.

Thus, a further object can be achieved, namely to provide a device that allows a quick and easy filling or emptying of the tub in a compact design without having to separate the device from a mains voltage supply for the care or treatment essay. This is especially for devices for the medical treatment of feet and hands with a bath comprising a tub for holding a bath, with a care or treatment essay, in particular to a unit combined electrodes that protrude at least partially below the waterline of the bath water of the tub, and with a nursing Treatment attachment in response to a predetermined program electrically acting control device advantageous.

In order to ensure a secure state of the trough on the base station, it is proposed that the trough and the base station interlock alternately formed by the trough and the base station approaches or recesses. Base station and tub are thus easily accessible se transversely to the Aufsetz- or decrease direction of the tub of the base station substantially locked to each other, whereby a displacement of the patch on the base station tub is avoided in the course of a pedicure.

It has proved to be particularly advantageous in this case if the lugs form feet projecting downwards from the trough bottom, which feet can be inserted into corresponding recesses of the base station. The feet also ensure a good level of removed from the base station tub, which can thus be easily stored and operated without a base station. These feet can be designed, for example, non-slip.

To facilitate placement of the tub on the base station, the base station may include at least one of its base towering conical (upwardly tapering) approach, which forms a positioning aid for the can be placed on the conical approach trough. The conical attachment centered in this case the trough placed on the base station in the intended placement position, whereby always a safe guided sliding of the trough is ensured in the placement position.

If a variety of care or treatment essays can be used, it is recommended that the care or treatment attachment is kept interchangeable at the bottom of the tub. For this purpose, the care or treatment essay, for example, be placed only on the ground or held by a clutch on the ground. Thus, a change of a worn care or treatment attachment is also possible at any time. Particularly simple conditions for a coupling for attachment of a care or treatment attachment arise when the coupling is arranged in the tub bottom in the attachment area of the care or treatment essays. In addition, the coupling can be designed to be double-acting, and thus act for an electrical power supply on the one hand between the base station and the incorporated in the trough bottom coupling and between the coupling and the patch on the coupling care or treatment essay. Short description of the drawing

Based on embodiments, the subject invention is illustrated, for example. 1 shows a plan view of the foot bath according to the invention with electrodes combined into a structural unit,

2 shows a partially torn-off side view of a structural unit with a coil-like electrode,

3 shows a section of the unit according to HI-III,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another unit with electrodes in stick form, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base station of the device according to the invention of Fig. 1 and

Fig. 6 is a partially sectioned side view of the device of Fig. 1 in section along the line Vl-Vl on an enlarged scale.

Way to carry out the invention

The foot bath 1 shown in FIG. 1, for example, has a trough 2 for receiving an electrically conductive bathing water 3, wherein electrodes 5 and 6 project into the bath water 3 of the trough 2 to form a structural unit 4, which electrodes 5 and 6, in particular of FIG. 2 and Fig. 3 can be removed. With such a compact unit 4, the field load on a user of the bath 1 can be kept small, since this load mainly arises directly between the two electrodes 5 and 6. A control device 7 with a display 8 and control buttons 9 electrically energizes the electrodes 5 and 6, this being applied as a function of a predetermined program. The electrode 5 acting as cathode consists of a metal material, for example copper, and is arranged in the manner of a coil around the electrode 6 acting as an anode. The electrode 6, which acts as an anode, consists of a graphite material and has a cylindrical shape. It is also vorsteiibar titanium and / or platinum to use for this, as well as these cause only a negligible slight discoloration of the bathwater 3. Through the graphite material can be compared to the State of the art, a discoloration of the bathing water 3 are excluded during the electrolysis. The bath water 3 can therefore remain independent of the duration of the electrolysis in the foot bath 1, which is responsible in particular for low operating costs of the foot bath 1 according to the invention. The flocculation caused by the graphite material is absorbed by a sump 10 in the lower part of the housing 11, so that a housing outlet of flocculation can be avoided or largely avoided. With openings 12 laterally on the housing 11, the bathing water 3 can flow around the electrodes 5 and 6 unhindered. The electrically insulating housing 11 can preclude a user of the foot bath 1 from the risk of electrification with respect to a short circuit of the cathode 5 to the anode 6.

The housing 11 with the electrodes 5 and 6 is held interchangeably at the bottom of the tub 2, so as to be able to replace the unitized to form a unit 4 electrodes 5 and 6 in a simple manner with a release of the connector 13 of the cable. So that the electrodes 5 and 6 can be handled easily, the housing 11 forms a handle 15.

The cable 14 carries two electrical lines 16 and 17, which are each connected to an electrode 5 and 6, respectively. To connect the anode 6 acting as an electrode to the line 17, a metallic mandrel 18 is provided which is inserted in the center of the electrode 6.

FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the electrodes 5 and 6 combined to form a structural unit 4, wherein the electrodes 5 and 6 acting as anode and cathode consist of a graphite material and are arranged within a housing 11 as in FIG. This embodiment is particularly advantageous if the modes of action of the electrodes 5 and 6 are to be changed as the cathode or anode. Namely, the controller 7 may change the modes of operation of the respective electrodes 5 and 6 depending on a program in which the electrodes 5 acting as the cathode take on the function of the electrodes 6 acting as the anode and the anodes which are attacked by the electrolysis then serve as cathodes. With such a swap the effects of the life of the combined unit 4 to a unit electrodes 5 and 6 is to be increased substantially.

This limiting member 19 interrupts in dependence on the operating time of the electrodes 5 and 6, the electrical connection with the control device 7, so that a user can be forced, the assembly 4 with the electrodes 5 and 6 so as to ensure a consistent quality of the electrolysis can.

The care or treatment attachment 4 can be embodied, in particular, as electrodes 5 and 6 which are combined to form a unit 4 and project at least partially below the waterline of the bathing water 3 of the tub 2. In addition, the bath 1 is a base station 20 with a power supply 21, in particular a mains voltage supply, to what the Fig. 5 can be better taken. The power supply 21 supplies the control device 7 to act on the care or treatment attachment 4 electrically. To change the bath water 3 of the tub 2 anytime easily or fill or empty, the tub 2 with the care or treatment essay 4 and the unit 4 to the base station 20 releasably installable. For bath water change, the tub 2 can be removed from the base station 20 either after loosening the plug-in 13 together with care or treatment attachment 4, or the care and treatment attachment 4 is removed from the tub 2, before the tub 2 of the base station 20th is removed.

In order to ensure a secure fit of the trough 2 on the base station 20 (FIG. 6), trough 2 and base station 20 engage each other via lugs 22 or recesses 23 alternately formed by trough 2 and base station 20, with the lugs 22 from the bottom of the trough downwards form protruding feet that are used in corresponding recesses 23, the base station 20. Furthermore, the base station 20 has an upstanding from the base surface of the base station 20 conical projection 24, so in the mounting direction of the trough 2 to the base station 20 widening approach 24, which together with a front end face 25 of the base station 20 is a positioning aid for on the Base station 20 attachable tub 2 forms.

The care or treatment attachment 4 is held interchangeable at the bottom of the tub 2, wherein the care or treatment attachment 4 is placed in the example shown only on the tub bottom. A latching or anchoring with a clutch would be possible.

Claims

Patent claim:

A bathroom for feet or hands with a tub for receiving an electrically conductive bath water, with integrated into a unit electrodes that protrude to form an electrolysis at least partially into the bath water of the tub, and with a control device, depending on a given program the Electrodes are electrically applied, characterized in that the material of the electrode acting as an anode (6) at least partially comprises graphite and / or titanium and / or platinum.

2. Bath according to claim 1, characterized in that the anode acting as an electrode (6) consists entirely of a graphite material.

3. Bath according to claim 2, characterized in that the electrodes (5, 6) consist of a graphite material and in that the control device (7) in dependence of the program, the modes of action of the respective electrode (5, 6) of the anode on the cathode or cathode on anode changes.

4. Bath according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a water-permeable housing (11) comprises the unit to a unit combined electrodes (5, 6) such that a short circuit of the electrodes (5, 6) by a user of the bath (1) can be excluded.

5. Bath according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unit (4) combined electrodes (5, 6) are held interchangeably at the bottom of the tub (2) and that to the electrodes (5, 6) with a Control means (7) connected cable (14) with a plug connection (13) leads.

6. Bath according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structural unit (4) additionally contains a limiting member (19) which interrupts the electrical connection with the control device (7) as a function of the operating time of the electrodes (5, 6).

7. Bath according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bath (1) a base station (20) with power supply (21) listened to the fact that the trough (2) with the electrodes (5, 6) on the base station (20). is releasably erectable and that the electrodes (5, 6) via a plug-in coupling (13) with the control device (7) are connectable.

8. Bath according to claim 7, characterized in that the trough (2) and base station (20) via mutually by trough (2) and base station (20) formed lugs (22) or recesses (23) intermesh.

9. Bath according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the projections (22) from the bottom of the tub downwardly projecting feet form, which are insertable into corresponding recesses (23) of the base station (20).

10. Bath according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the base station (20) listened to at least one of its base towering conical projection (24) having a positioning aid for the on the conical projection (24) attachable trough (2). forms.

11. An apparatus for the medical treatment of feet and hands with a bath (2) for receiving a bathing water (3) comprising bath (1), with a care or treatment attachment (4), in particular to a structural unit (4) combined electrodes (5, 6), which protrude at least partially below the waterline of the bathing water (3) of the trough (2), and with a control device (7) which is electrically acted upon by the care or treatment attachment (4) in dependence on a predetermined program in that the bath (1) has a base station (20) with power supply (21), that the bath (2) is in contact with the care or action attachment (4) on the base station (20) releasably installable and that the care or treatment attachment (4) via a plug-in coupling (13) with the control device (7) is connectable.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the trough (2) and base station (20) via mutually by trough (2) and base station (20) formed lugs (22) or recesses (23) intermesh.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the lugs (22) form from the bottom of the tank downwardly projecting feet, which are insertable into corresponding recesses (23) of the base station (20).

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the base station (20) listened to at least one of its base towering conical projection (24) which forms a positioning aid for on the conical projection (24) attachable trough (2).

15. Device according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the care or treatment attachment (4) is held interchangeably at the bottom of the trough (2).