Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Means for agitating or circulating water in a tub
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-06
2001-11-20
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Means for agitating or circulating water in a tub
C004S541100, C004S541300, C004S545000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317903
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to improvements of bathtub designs with therapeutical treatment devices and, in particular but not exclusively, to a hydro-thermo massaging tub and method of operation to provide acupressure massaging flows comprised of warm air jets and water about the body of a person occupying the tub and the treatment of the water jets with ozone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,851 issued on Aug. 3, 1999, there is disclosed the construction of a hydro-thermo massaging bathtub and the method of treatment for domestic and therapeutic applications. In that patent, the treatment is performed by warm air jets distributed adjacent the bottom wall of the tub or about its circumference. Air jets are formed by holes made in the tub wall and communicate with an air distribution duct which is fed hot air under pressure by a blower. Controls are also provided to vary the pressure of the air as well as the temperature thereof. Warm air jets are released in the water contained within the tub to impart turbulence in the body of water to create acupressure massaging flows of warm air jets and water from opposed sidewalls and end walls of the tub towards a central area of least turbulence which is occupied by a person's body. The acupressure massaging flows perform a massaging action all about the body simultaneously. A sealed light enclosure is provided in one of the end walls to impart light frequencies in the water turbulence to provide physical effects to the bather.
Such a massaging bathtub has been found advantageous over other forms of massaging bathtubs. Today, however, people are more sensitive to their well-being and, therefore, pay more attention to their health due to this awareness of its importance on their quality of life. They are determined to maintain and enhance their physical condition and are seeking simple, efficient and personalized solutions to meet their health objective. For example, it is desirable that selective areas of the bather's body can be massaged within the tub.
The production of ozone consists of modifying many stable oxygen molecules (O
2
) to form unstable oxygen molecules (O
3
) by adding one atom of oxygen to the stable oxygen molecules in the air. The new molecule is unstable and separates quickly to return to a stable form and produce a free oxygen atom (O). The purifying properties of free oxygen are well-known and have been used to purify water and air.
For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,053,403 and 4,115,267, issued on Oct. 11, 1977 and Sep. 19, 1978 to Bachhofer et al., Bachhofer et al. describe a method and apparatus for treating and degerminating bath water, particularly bath water contaminated by the germ bacteria,
pseudomonas pyocyanea
, in medical tub-baths and underwater massage baths. According to Bachhofer et al., the recycled bath water is treated with ozone and a halogen compound to destroy highly resistant germs in the water. An ozone generator is mounted within a filter housing which is loaded with a composite filtering medium and the bath water is recycled through the filter. The recycled bath water is also used simultaneously as a coolant for the ozone generator. This method and apparatus are especially designed for long term use bath water in medical bathtubs. However, the water used in the hydro-thermo massaging tub, as described in the Applicant's patent, is typically clean, warm water. Because the bath water used in the hydro-thermo massaging tub is not recycled and is typically designed for temporary use, it is discharged through the drain. Even though the method and apparatus disclosed by Bachhofer et al. may be used in underwater massage baths, the purpose of adding ozone to the water is to purify the highly contaminated bath water in the filter housing and not for the massage performance.
Therefore, the method and apparatus disclosed by Bachhofer et al. is not suitable for domestic and therapeutic massaging bathtubs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a broad feature of the present invention there is provided a bathtub with an ozone injection system whereby ozone is injected into the water within the tub by a bailer through a mobile air jet head secured to a free end of a flexible conduit through which ozone is released either with air pressure or water pressure.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of hydro massage including a bathtub and wherein ozone is injected in the bathtub by the bather whereby to inject predetermined quantities of ozone mixed with air or water under pressure released through the air jet.
According to another feature of the present invention there is provided a hydro massaging tub wherein an elevated ridge section is disposed longitudinally and substantially at a location to be disposed between a bather's legs and wherein jets are disposed on at least opposed sides of the elevated ridge to impart a massaging flow against the legs of a bather sitting in the tub.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub wherein the warm air, before being released in water within the tub in the form of air jets, is mixed with ozone so that the warm air jets entering the bathtub will impart a displacement of the water with bubbles containing ozone to create ozone-mixed massaging flows of warm air jets and warm water to perform a massaging action about a bather's body.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub which is improved to inhibit or restrain the growth of microbes, bacteria and viruses thereon.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub which is improved so that the bather in the tub is enabled to control air jets for selective areas of the body to be massaged.
Another feature of the present invention is to incorporate, within the bathtub, optical fibers to impart light frequencies in the water turbulence to produce physical effects to a bather undergoing the hydro-thermo massage.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub which is improved to prevent water from entering or remaining in an air distribution system.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub wherein the air jets are orientatable.
Another feature of the present invention is to incorporate into the bathtub mobile air jets for complementary massaging flows.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hydro-thermo massaging tub wherein an air blower for the air distribution system is improved to reduce noise and vibration produced therefrom.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a novel method of hydro-thermo massage in a bathtub wherein ozone is used to help clean the skin of a bather's body and to improve the quantity of oxygen in the bather's environment so that oxygen intake through the skin and lungs of the bather is facilitated.
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hydro-thermo massaging tub which comprises an open top-end enclosure including a bottom wall, opposed sidewalls and opposed end walls. Means for draining water from an inner chamber defined by the tub is provided. An air distribution duct is associated with at least the sidewalls and end walls. A plurality of holes of a predetermined dimension are deposed at least in the sidewalls and end walls at predetermined spacing all around the wall and communicate the air distribution duct with the inner chamber to form air jets. An air blower is connected to the air distribution duct for directing air under pressure in the duct. A control means is provided for controlling the pressure of the air. Also provided are heater means for heating the air under pressure and means for controlling the temperature of the air under pressure. The air under pressure is released through the plurality of holes as warm air bubbles in a body of water contained within the inner chamber to impart turbulence in t
Baron Stéphane
Brunelle Henry
Jacques Marc
Mailloux Berthier
Martin Louis
Bains Ultra Inc.
Houle Guy J.
Huynh Khoa D.
Maust Timothy L.
Swabey Ogilvy Renault
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