Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Combined with diverse means
Patent
1990-03-16
1991-10-15
Recla, Henry J.
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Combined with diverse means
A61H 3302
Patent
active
050561685
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a whirlpool bathtub with fixtures for producing jets of water and/or air, which can be delivered to the tub interior at a plurality of points on the tub wall, wherein each of these points is assigned an individual, drivable fixture for producing a jet of water and/or air; the fixture is attached to or built into the tub wall, is acted upon by driving energy from outside the tub, and has a fin that can be set into rotary motion or a propeller that can be set into rotary motion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A whirlpool system of this type is taught by German Patent Document A 22 09 507. In this known whirlpool system, the fixtures for producing jets of water and/or air are built into the wall of a masonry basin and have a pump for aspirating water from the tub interior. This pump is a closed, compact component in which residual water remains in the pump housing after the pump has been shut off and water drained out of the tub; this residual water promotes the development of bacterial cultures. Therefore this whirlpool bathtub does not meet the hygienic requirements that such equipment is expected to meet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention, for a whirlpool bathtub of the above-described type, to create a fixture for producing streams of water and/or air in which no residual water for developing bacterial cultures remains after the fixture is shut off and the water is drained from the bathtub.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a fin or propeller disposed in a chamber that is sealed in a watertight manner from the outside of the tub wall and is covered toward the tub interior by a nozzle screen having intake and outlet openings. The chamber is designed and connected to the tub wall in such a manner that when the bathtub is emptied, the chamber empties completely into the tub interior, through the nozzle screen having the intake and outlet openings.
Shifting the fin or propeller into the chamber that is sealed off from the outside of the tub and covered by the screen provides an installation that enables complete draining of the chamber into the tub interior through the screen. Residual water cannot stay in the chamber, which makes for substantially improved hygiene. Furthermore, once the screen is removed, the chamber having the fin or propeller can easily be cleaned and/or disinfected. This feature also provides easier maintenance of the system.
In accordance with an embodiment, the fixtures are each drivable with an electric motor, for producing a water jet, which is contained in the housing cup and which causes the propeller or the fin to perform rotating movements with its motor shaft. The intensity of the water jet can be easily varied by changing the rotational speed of the electric motor, in particular by changing the supply voltage.
In accordance with another embodiment, the type of operation of the whirlpool system can easily be changed by controlling the electric motors of the fixtures with a control device simultaneously and in the same way or, in the way of a program, differently and/or at different times. It thus possible to operate the nozzles simultaneously or at different times at the same or different intensity, so that it is possible to massage the parts of the body of the bather in different ways.
Admixture of air to the water jet can be achieved through venturi openings which are provided in the area of the nozzle, which are in contact above the maximum level of the water in the bathtub, with the ambient air. It is thus assured that no water can flow out through the venturi openings when the whirlpool system is shut off.
If the air supplied to the venturi openings of the nozzles is routed across a heating device and/or an ozone generator which can be simultaneously turned on and off with the fixtures, it is also possible to warm the admixed air and/or to enrich it with ozone.
The water-tight installation of the housing cup in the opening of
REFERENCES:
patent: 4559653 (1985-12-01), Mathews
patent: 4561133 (1985-12-01), Laing
patent: 4665572 (1987-05-01), Davidson et al.
patent: 4813086 (1989-03-01), Henkin et al.
patent: 4829607 (1989-05-01), Huse
patent: 4853987 (1989-08-01), Jaworski
patent: 4907304 (1990-03-01), Davidson et al.
Fetsuga Robert M.
Franz Kaldewei GmbH & Co.
Recla Henry J.
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