WO2012059795A1

WO2012059795A1 - Hydromassage device

Info

Publication number: WO2012059795A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/055442
Authority: WO
Inventors: Radames Astolfi
Original assignee: SHOTT INTERNATIONAL Srl
Current assignee: SHOTT INTERNATIONAL Srl
Priority date: 2010-11-03
Filing date: 2010-11-26
Publication date: 2012-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-03
Also published as: IT1402600B1; ITPD20100325A1

Abstract

This is a hydromassage device (D) for bathtubs or swimming pools, comprising a pump unit (P) and an air diffuser (T) in turn comprising a first chamber (T2) connectable through a flexible hose (F) to said pump unit (P) to input air and with through holes (T22) for air to exit, and one second hollow chamber (T1) able to be weighted with ballast in whole or in part to ensure the stable positioning of the diffuser (T) on the bottom of the pool or bathtub.

Description

HYDROMASSAGE DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

This patent relates to the field of removable hydromassage devices and in particular concerns a new removable hydromassage device, especially for above ground pools.

Removable hydromassage mats for bathtubs of the type commonly found in homes are known.

Said hydromassage mats comprise a flexible plastic or rubber mat, on which a plurality of cushions are distributed with a plurality of through holes for air to exit, said holes being connected by channels in those cushions and in said mat and through a flexible hose, to a pump unit with air intake.

These hydromassage mats are suitable to be placed on the bottom of the bathtub. In particular, said flexible mat is laid on the bottom of the bathtub and generally attached by suction cups placed on the lower surface of the mat, while the pump unit must be placed at a safe distance from the bathtub, for safety reasons.

Disadvantages of these devices are that often said suction cups detach and the mat may move, slide and make the user fall.

In addition, to attach the suction cups so that they have a secure grip the surface on which the suction cups adhere must be perfectly clean and dry, while the suction cups should be slightly moistened.

Furthermore, the surface on which the suction cups adhere should also be perfectly smooth and flat, otherwise the suction cups do not grip and the mat cannot be attached. Moreover, the mat is bulky and must be stored folded or rolled up, taking care not to bend or break the air channels.

To overcome all these disadvantages, a new type of device was designed and constructed for hydromassage, for bathtubs or swimming pools, especially for above ground pools, with a rigid diffuser, removable and weighted.

The main task of this invention is to be able to place the device's air diffuser in any position of the bathtub or swimming pool, ensuring proper and stable positioning without permanently fastening the diffuser to the bottom of the bathtub or pool, given that it is weighted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydromassage device that can be easily moved and relocated at any time without involving any operation to detach or attach the diffuser.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hydromassage device that can be installed on uneven surfaces which are not smooth, such as the bottom of above ground swimming pools, resting on ground which is not perfectly flat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydromassage device with reduced size and bulkiness, since the diffuser is rigid and compact, easily movable and storable.

These and other objects, direct and complementary, are achieved by the new hydromassage device for bathtubs or swimming pools, particularly for swimming pools above ground, comprising, in its main parts, a rigid air diffuser in turn comprising at least one first chamber connectable through a flexible hose to a pump unit and equipped with through holes for air to exit, and a second hollow chamber suitable to be wholly or partly filled with ballast to ensure the stable positioning of the diffuser on the bottom of the pool or bathtub.

In particular, in the preferred embodiment, said diffuser comprises said second internally hollow chamber in a substantially central position and said air chamber substantially ring-shaped arranged around said central part and equipped with airtight connection means, such as sleeves and gaskets, to at least one flexible connection hose to the pump unit.

Said through holes for the air to exit are distributed evenly along said air chamber.

Said diffuser is therefore rigid and substantially flat and compact in shape, from a plan view round or oval, thus easily transportable and positionable anywhere on the bottom of a bathtub or on the bottom of a pool.

The diffuser is in fact firmly positioned as a result of the ballast that keeps it on the bottom by gravity and therefore it is not equipped with other means of fastening or gripping such as suction cups or the like.

For this reason, the diffuser can be placed on bases of any kind, whether perfectly flat and smooth or not, such as the bottom of above ground pools. Said diffuser is preferably made of plastic material obtained by blow moulding in which said air passage holes are preferably obtained during the blow moulding process.

In the preferred embodiment, said diffuser has a substantially flat top surface and can be walked on.

Said upper surface of said diffuser is therefore preferably non-slip, for example, corrugated or covered with slip-resistant material. The characteristics of the new hydromassage mat will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawings, attached by way of a non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the new hydromassage device (D) installed in a swimming pool (1), for example of the above ground type, while figure la is a detail.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of just the air diffuser (T), while Figure 3 shows a section along the line of section A-A of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a side view of just the diffuser (T).

This is a hydromassage device (D), especially for above ground swimming pools (1).

The new hydromassage device (D) comprises a pump unit (P), at least one air diffuser (T) connected to said pump unit through at least one flexible hose (F), with valves and equipment (Fl , F2) for the proper and safe use of the device (D).

In particular, said diffuser (T) is rigid, substantially flat in shape with a substantially flat lower resting surface (T4) and an upper surface (T5) that is preferably walkable and non-slip.

Said diffuser comprises an internally hollow central chamber (Tl) suitable to be weighted and a ring-shaped air chamber (T2) surrounding the central chamber (Tl).

In a plan view this internally hollow central chamber (Tl) has a substantially round or oval shape and comprises an inlet (Ti l) for the insertion of ballast material for the diffuser (T), such as water or sand or the like. As per figures 2 and 3, said inlet (Ti l) is placed centrally on the upper surface (T5) of said central chamber (Tl) and is hermetically closeable with a screw cap for example.

Said inlet (Ti l) comprises a cylindrical wall (T12) and to reduce the external dimensions, said inlet (Ti l) is sunken inside said central chamber (Tl).

Said ring-shaped chamber (T2) is joined to said central chamber (Tl) along the perimeter (T13) of the latter, for example through a comiecting septum or rib (T6).

In a plan view said ring-shaped chamber (T2) has a substantially rounded or oval shape, corresponding to the perimeter (T13) of said central chamber (Tl), it is internally hollow and comprises, at least on its upper surface (T21), a plurality of through holes (T22) for the passage of air bubbles, said holes (T22) being evenly distributed along said ring-shaped chamber (T2) for the air.

Said ring-shaped chamber (T2) is connectable, through connection means such as sleeves (T23) and gaskets, to at least one flexible hose (F) leading to the pump unit (P).

In particular, as shown in Figure 2, said ring-shaped chamber (T2) comprises a connector sleeve (T23), located laterally to the air chamber (T2) and preferably sunken inside the diffuser (T), to reduce its dimensions and for safety reasons.

As shown in figure 1 , said diffuser (T) can thus remain stably positioned at the bottom (1 1) of a swimming pool (1) as a result of the ballast contained in said central chamber (Tl) while said flexible tube (F) is positioned in an appropriate way to ensure the proper functioning of the device (D).

For example, it is best to place said pump unit (P) at a minimum distance from the pool, while said flexible hose (F) comprising for example at least two non-return valves (Fl), is placed in part along the edge (13) of a wall (12) of the pool and passes over the side (F2) to connect to the pump (P). Therefore, with reference to the preceeding description and the attached diagrams, the following claims are made.

Claims

1. Hydromassage device (D), for bathtubs or swimming pools, especially for above ground swimming pools, comprising at least one pump unit (P) and at least one air diffuser (T) connected to said pump unit (P) by at least one flexible hose (F), characterized in that said diffuser (T) in turn comprises:

• a first chamber (T2) connectable through said flexible hose (F) to said pump unit (P) to input air and equipped with through holes (T22) for the air to exit,

· at least one second internally hollow chamber (Tl), suitable to be wholly or partly filled with ballast to ensure the stable positioning of the diffuser (T) on the bottom of the pool or bathtub.

2. Hydromassage device (D), according to claim 1, characterized in that said air diffuser (T) is rigid.

3. Hydromassage device (D), according to claims 1, 2, characterized in that said internally hollow chamber (Tl) is placed in a substantially central position and said air chamber (T2) is substantially ring-shaped and arranged around said central chamber (Tl).

4. Hydromassage device (D) according to claims 1 , 2, 3, characterized in that said diffuser (T) has a substantially flat shape with a substantially flat lower resting surface (T4) and an upper surface (T5) that is walkable and non-slip.

5. Hydromassage device (D) according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, characterized in that said diffuser (T) is made of plastic material obtained by blow moulding and where said through holes for the air are obtained during the blow moulding process.

6. Hydromassage device (D) according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, characterized in that the internally hollow central chamber (Tl) comprises an inlet (Tl 1) to insert ballast material to weight the diffuser (T), such as water or sand, said inlet (Ti l) being placed centrally on the upper surface (T5) of said central chamber (Tl) and being hermetically closeable.

7. Hydromassage device (D) according to claim 6, characterized in that said inlet (Ti l) comprises a cylindrical wall (T12) and is sunken inside the central chamber (Tl).

8. Hydromassage device (D) according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, characterized in that said ring-shaped air chamber (T2) is joined to said central part (Tl) along the perimeter (T13) of the latter, such as through a connecting septum or rib (T6). ^■

9. Hydromassage device (D) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said internally hollow central chamber (Tl) has in a plan view a substantially round or oval shape and said ring-shaped air chamber (T2) in a plan view corresponds to the perimeter (T13) of said central chamber (Tl) and where said through holes (T22) for the passage of air are homogeneously distributed at least on the upper surface (T21) of said ring-shaped air chamber (T2).

10. Hydromassage device (D) as in prior claims, characterized in that said ring-shaped air chamber (T2) comprises a connector sleeve (T23), located laterally to said ring-shaped chamber (T2) and sunken inside the diffuser (T).