Patent ID: 6406446
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: A61H

Abstract:
A high velocity current producing apparatus for producing high velocity current in a bathtub installed in a bathroom using hot water inside the bathtub comprising:a water heating and additional heating unit for heating service water to produce hot water or heating the hot water upon reception of the hot water from the inside of the bathtub, wherein the water heating and additional heating unit has a heat exchanger for hot-water supply for heating the service water by combustion heat of a burner and a heat exchanger for additionally heating water inside the bathtub by combustion heat of the burner; a first circulating passage for circulating water inside the bathtub to the heat exchanger for additionally heating water, wherein the first circulating passage having a first pipe through which water or hot water inside the bathtub flows into the heat exchanger for additionally heating water and a second pipe through which the hot water obtained by heating by the heat exchanger for additionally heating water is returned to the bathtub, and a third pipe through which the hot water from the heat exchanger for hot-water supply is supplied is connected to the second pipe, and a three-way valve provided on the connection portion between the second and third pipe for allowing the hot water to flow from the heat exchanger for hot-water supply into the bathtub through the second pipe; a first pump installed on the first circulating passage for forcibly circulating the hot water inside the bathtub in the first circulating passage; a high velocity current producing unit for producing high velocity current in the bathtub using the hot water obtained by the water heating and additional heating unit, the first circulating passage and the pump, wherein the high velocity current producing unit is installed outside the bathroom and having a second circulating passage for circulating the hot water inside the bathtub and a second pump for forcibly circulating the hot water inside the bathtub in the second circulating passage to produce high velocity current from the outside of the bathroom to the inside of the bathtub, and wherein the second circulating passage having a pipe for introducing the hot water inside the bathtub into the second pump and a pipe for introducing hot water pressurized by the second pump into the bathtub; an air introduction pipe for taking in air from outside the bathroom and introducing the air into the bathtub of the bathroom, wherein the air introduction pipe has a closing valve for changing over air to be taken in the air introduction pipe: a connection body for connecting the first circulating passage of the water heating and additional heating unit and the second circulating passage of the high velocity current producing unit with the bathtub, wherein the connection body is fixed to a wall surface of the bathtub and having a first suction section, a second suction section, a first discharge section and a second discharge section, and wherein the first suction section is connected to the pipe of the second circulating passage for introducing the hot water inside the bathtub from the bathtub into the second pump, and the first discharge section is connected to the pipe of the second circulating passage for flowing high velocity current of the hot water from the second pump of the second circulating passage to the bathtub and also connected to the air introduction pipe whereby air bubble current is produced in the high velocity current by air introduced through the air introduction pipe; and wherein the second suction section is connected to the first pipe of the first circulating passage through which water inside the bathtub is introduced from the bathtub into the heat exchanger for additionally heating water of the water heating and additional heating unit, and the second discharge section is connected to the second pipe through which the hot water flows from the heat exchanger for additionally heating water to the bathtub; a discharge unit removably attached to the first discharge section of the connection body, wherein the discharge unit has a connection section removably attached to the first discharge section, a flexible hose attached to the connection section at one end thereof, and a nozzle connected to the flexible hose at the other end thereof, whereby the discharge unit receives the high velocity current produced in the first discharge section at the connection section, thereby allowing the high velocity current to flow into the inside of the bathtub through the nozzle connected to the flexible hose, or receives the high velocity current together with the air bubble current at the connection section when the air bubble current is produced in the high velocity current, allowing the high velocity current together with the air bubble current to flow into the inside of the bathtub through the nozzle connected to the flexible hose; the nozzle having a discharge port for discharging the high velocity current or the high velocity current with air bubbles, and adjustment means for adjusting the degree of opening of the discharge port, wherein the high velocity current or the high velocity current with air bubbles can be produced in the bathtub by a desired discharging volume; control means installed outside the bathroom for supplying power to the second pump, switching over the closing valve, and generating an output when the high velocity current producing apparatus is operated or air bubbles are produced; and remote control means connected to the control means for instructing the operation of the high velocity current producing apparatus and the driving of the closing valve to the control means, wherein the remote control means is installed in the vicinity of the bathtub inside the bathroom and has an indication element for indicating an operation state or non-operation state of the high velocity current producing apparatus upon reception of the output from the control means and an indication element for indicating the production or non-production of the air bubbles upon reception of the output from the control means.