Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Particular construction or configuration details
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-24
2003-08-05
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Particular construction or configuration details
C004S538000, C004S546000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06601247
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light transmitting type bathtub which illuminates the inside of a bathtub vessel with a strip-like optical fiber which is mounted on a back surface side of a peripheral wall of the bathtub vessel having light transmittance.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional bathtub, there has been generally known a bathtub which is shown in
FIG. 1
as a perspective view and in
FIG. 2
as a Z—Z cross-sectional view. That is, the bathtub
100
is constituted such that a rectangular bathtub vessel
101
is embedded into a floor surface
110
, a semicircular chair portion
103
on which a bather sits is formed on a bottom surface
102
of the bathtub vessel
101
, handles
104
which the bather grips are mounted on both sides of the bathtub vessel
101
, and a headrest
105
made of rubber or the like with which a head of the bather is brought into contact is mounted on one end portion of the bathtub vessel
101
. Hot water or water is supplied into the inside of the bathtub vessel
101
from a spout
106
. Here, with respect to a western-style bathtub having a relatively shallow bottom, to enable a bather take a relaxed bathing posture, there has been also known a bathtub which forms a slanted surface inclined from an upper portion to a lower portion, that is, a backrest on an inner surface of a bathtub body.
However, the bathtubs having such general structures have no ideas or fail to generate the high-grade feeling.
In view of the above, recently, there has been proposed a bathtub with underwater illumination(a water light) shown in cross section in
FIG. 3
which is rich in ideas by directly illuminating the inside of the bathtub using a light source. That is, in such a bathtub
200
, opening portions
204
are formed in the bathtub
200
by cutting out portions of side walls
202
or a bottom wall
203
of a bathtub vessel
201
for enabling the transmission of light, transparent members
205
such as lens are adhered to inner surface of opening portions
204
, and light emitting members
206
such as lamps which are turned on by a switch not shown in the drawing are mounted in the opening portions
204
whereby the inside of the bathtub vessel
201
is illuminated.
However, with respect to the bathtub
200
with underwater illumination which forms the opening portion
204
for transmitting light in the bathtub wall, there exists a fear that hot water or water leaks from these opening portions
204
or electricity leaks due to this leaking of water when the light emitting members
206
are formed of lamps, for example. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide sealing members
207
also on a back surface side of the vessel as shown in the drawing besides mounting the transparent members
205
on an inner surface side of the vessel and hence, the structure becomes complicate and pushes up a cost. Further, even when such means is provided, there still remains a possibility of leaking of water or leaking of electricity due to a fatigue generated as time lapses and hence, it is necessary to perform the maintenance and the inspection to ensure the safety always. Still further, since the lamps provide the direct illumination, it gives rise to a fatigue on eyes of a bather and hence, there have been drawbacks such as the reduction of a relaxed feeling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances and it is an object of the present invention to provide a light transmitting type bathtub which is free from any fear of the leakage of water or the leakage of electricity, is free from the fatigue of eyes, etc. and is rich in ideas, and can simultaneously satisfy a mental relaxation effect which cannot be achieved by conventional bathtubs and can obtain a high-grade feeling.
The present invention is directed to a light transmitting type bathtub and the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved by a light transmitting type bathtub which is characterized by circumferentially mounting a strip-like optical fiber which has an end portion thereof directed to a light source of a light source device for illumination and is formed in a strip shape by weaving a plurality of optical fibers in a meshy form which performs a side light emission upon receiving illumination light from the light source on a back surface side of a peripheral wall of a bathtub vessel formed of material having light transmittance.
Further, the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved more effectively by a light transmitting type bathtub, wherein a coating is applied to a back-surface side of the bath tub vessel except for the surface corresponding to a portion where the strip-like optical fiber is circumferentially mounted.
Further, the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved more effectively by a light transmitting type bathtub, wherein the light source device for illumination is configured to emit light in a plurality of colors by way of a color filter disc which is rotated.
Further, the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved more effectively by a light transmitting type bathtub, wherein the end portions of strip-like optical fibers are arranged in a row and are disposed while being aligned with the rotational direction of the color filter disc.
Further, the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved more effectively by a light transmitting type bathtub, wherein radially-extending masks are mounted on the color filter disc.
Further, the above-mentioned object of the present invention can be achieved more effectively by a light transmitting type bathtub, wherein the light source device for illumination is a sound-pressure control type light source device which emits light in synchronism with sound.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4535489 (1985-08-01), Elkins
patent: 5604940 (1997-02-01), Shimizu
U.S. application No. 10/179,571, Shimizu, Jun. 24, 2002.
Ladas & Parry
Nguyen Tuan N.
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