BATH UNIT WITH WATER JET DEVICES

Abstract: In a bath unit with a bath-tub (1), pumping devices (3) are provided, connected by means of a suction pipe (6) to the bath-tub (1) and connected by means of a supply pipe (2) to at least one nozzle (15) for supplying a water jet, which nozzle (15) has a venturi (14) connected to an air supply (10) for supplying a water jet, which nozzle (15) has a venturi (14) connected to an air supply (10) in such a way that air is mixed into the water jet. Each nozzle (15) is situated in the bottom or in the side wall near the bottom of the bath-tub (1), and the suction pipe (6) opens out into the bath-tub (1) at a level which is higher than that of each nozzle (15). Furthermore, the suction pipe (4) of the pump (3) lies at a higher level than the delivery connection (5), and the suction pipe (6) opens out into the bath-tub (1) at a higher level (7) than said suction connection (4).

Description: Bath unit with water .iet devices The invention relates to a bath unit with a bath-tub, pumping devices which are connected by means of a suction pipe to the bath-tub and are connected by means of a supply pipe to at least one nozzle for supplying a water jet, which nozzle has a venturi connected to an air supply, in such a way that air is mixed into the water jet. Such bath units are available in essentially two different designs. In the first design, ambient air is injected into the bath water through nozzles provided in the bottom. A mixed air jet which provides a massage effect is formed in this way. In a second design, water is extracted from the bath and then injected through suitably placed nozzles. These nozzles can have a venturi, in such a way that air is entrained in the injected water jet and mixed in. A massage jet consisting of water and air is obtained in this process. Since water can be injected with a greater impulse than air, in this design the nozzles need not be fitted on the bottom of the bath-tub. They can also be placed in the side wall of the tub. The injected water has such an impulse that the centre region of the bath can also be reached with such water jets, in such a way that the total water content of the bath can be set in motion. The design in which air is injected into the bath has the disadvantage that it is less suitable for installation in a bath fitted with a closed surround. The air extracted by the fan and injected into the bath is taken from the surround. According to regulations, it must be possible to supply air to the surround through a grille in a cavity wall or outside wall of the bathroom. However, it appears that this measure is often ignored in practice. Fitting a grille which opens out into the room itself is not permitted. Besides, a grille placed in this way is undesirable for aesthetic reasons. All this means that no grille is generally fitted, with the result that a vacuum can occur in the surround. When the blowing in is then stopped, there is a risk of the water from the bath being sucked into the fan, which is not equipped for it, since it is designed for pumping air. All this could be remedied by fitting non-return valves in the nozzles, but this in turn leads to other complications such as, for example, scale deposits. A solution would be to place the fan outside the surround, but again this is not very suitable on account of space problems and the long supply pipes needed for it. The bath units according to the second design generally have nozzles in which no non-return valves have been placed. Such bath units are therefore made self-draining, in other words, when the bath runs empty all pipes for the provision of the water jet must also drain completely. Conversely, when the bath fills up, this pipe system must also fill up in such a way that no air pockets remain in it and prevent the pump motor from being able to function properly. These bath units are therefore designed in such a way that the suction pipe is connected as low down as possible in the bath-tub, while the delivery nozzles are situated above it. The suction pipe is also connected to the suction aperture of the pump, which for the above-mentioned reasons lies at a lower level than the delivery aperture of the pump. It is ensured in this way that when the bath is being filled or emptied the pipe system including pump fills up or drains completely again without air pockets. The production of a massage jet by injecting water through a nozzle with a venturi in such a way that air is entrained is more attractive than simply injecting air. As already mentioned above, problems as regards vacuum in the surround are thereby avoided. However, on the other hand, in the case of those designs in which a water jet is injected the nozzles are always placed in the side wall of the bath, for the above- mentioned reasons of perfect filling and emptying of the pumping system. The object of the invention is then to provide a bath unit of the type mentioned in the preamble, in which the medium to be pumped is water, while the nozzles can still be placed corresponding to the bath units working with air. This is achieved in that each nozzle is situated in the bottom or in the side wall near the bottom of the bath-tub, and in that the suction pipe opens out into the bath-tub at a level which is higher than that of each nozzle. If in this case the suction connection of the pump also lies higher than the delivery connection, and the suction pipe opens out into the bath-tub at a level higher than said suction connection, it is also ensured in the case of the bath unit according to the invention that when the bath is filling up the pumping system including pipes will fill up completely, i.e. without air pockets. In the case of the bath unit according to the invention the nozzles can now be situated in the bottom. This produces a greater risk of one or more nozzles being shut off, for example through the person taking the bath sitting on them. In order then to prevent the water fed in from escaping through the air connection of the shut-off nozzle, an air supply pipe is connected to each venturi, which pipe has a non-return valve to prevent water from flowing into the air supply pipe in question. The non¬ return valve in the air supply pipe is, normally speaking, not exposed to water, which means that the above-mentioned risk of scale deposits does not occur here. Such non-return valves can thus remain functioning perfectly for a very long time. Several nozzles are normally fitted in the bath-tub. In that case each air supply pipe is connected by means of a non-return valve to a central air chamber. The central air chamber can in this case be provided in a known manner with an air supply pipe which is situated in the edge of the bath and can be shut off. The non-return valves are now situated at a fairly great distance from the nozzles, and also at a higher level, so that the risk of their coming into contact with water is now virtually entirely ruled out. In order also to be able to drain a delivery pipe lying under the bath-tub, said pipe is connected to the water outlet of the bath by means of a shut-off valve which is operable mechanically and is designed to empty both the bath and the delivery pipe. The invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to an example of an embodiment shown in the figures. Figure 1 shows a side view, partially in cross-section, of the bath unit according to the invention. Figures 2a and 2b show details of a nozzle. Figure 3 shows the central air chamber. Figure *•*. shows an outflow valve for the bath unit. The bath unit shown in Figure 1 comprises a bath-tub 1, and a pumping system 2. This pumping system 2 comprises a fluid pump 3. with a suction connection 4 and a delivery connection 5- A suction pipe 6, opening into a suction aperture 7 in the bath, is connected to the suction connection ty. A delivery pipe 8, connected to the housings 9 for injecting a water/air jet into the bath, is connected to the delivery connection 5- These housings 9 also have connected to them in each case an air supply pipe 10 leading to a central air chamber 11 which can be opened or closed by means of a button 12. The housings 9 each have a water supply 13, connected to the delivery pipe 8. The water fed in flows through a venturi 1*. from the supply 13 to the nozzle_ 1 . In this process air is sucked from the air pipe 10, in such a way that a water/air jet is injected into the bath. All this is achieved through the fact that at the position of the venturi air is entrained in the water jet. The nozzle fixed in each housing 9 is shown in greater detail in Figures 2a and 2b. This nozzle is provided externally with screw thread 16, by which it can be screwed into a corresponding thread in the housing 9. The nozzle also has drainage holes 17 pointing away from each other, so that the mixed water/ air water jet can reach the outside. As already mentioned, there is a certain risk of the nozzle 15 being shut off by a person taking a bath sitting on it. In order then to prevent the water supplied through the delivery pipe 8 from escaping in that case through the air pipe 10, non-return valves 18 are provided as shown in Figure 3- As soon as just a little water flows into the air pipe 10, the ball 19 in each non-return valve is pressed against its seat 20, so that the air pipe is closed and the water cannot penetrate any further. As soon as the nozzle 15 in question is cleared again, the water flows out through it again, as a result of which air is sucked in again through the air chamber 11 and the ball 20 moves to its open position. The ball in this case comes to rest on the supporting points 21, in such a way that the air can enter the air pipe 10 round the ball 19 and between the supporting points 21. The button 12 is adjustable in a known manner between an open position and a closed position by means of interacting screw threads 22, 23. Finally, the delivery pipe is connected to the mechanically operable outflow valve 24 (see Figure k) . This valve can be opened and closed in the known manner by means of lever 26, and is connected to the outflow. The outflow valve has a passage 25 which connects to delivery pipe 10 when the outflow valve 2k is opened. When the outflow valve 2k is closed, the delivery pipe 10 is also closed relative to the outflow. When the water is now drained from the bath by opening the outflow valve 2k , any water which may have collected in the delivery pipe 10 also drains away.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Bath unit with a bath-tub, pumping devices which are connected by means of a suction pipe to the bath-tub and are connected by means of a supply pipe to at least one nozzle for supplying a water jet, which nozzle has a venturi connected to an air supply in such a way that air is mixed into the water jet, characterised in that each nozzle is situated in the bottom or in the side wall near the bottom of the bath-tub, and in that the suction pipe opens out into the bath-tub at a level which is higher than that of each nozzle. 2. Bath unit according to Claim 1, in which the suction pipe of the pump lies at a higher level than the delivery connection, and the suction pipe opens out into the bath-tub at a higher level than said suction connection. 3. Bath unit according to Claim 1 or 2, in which an air supply pipe having a non-return valve is connected to each venturi, in order to prevent water from flowing into the air supply pipe in question. k . Bath unit according to Claim 3. in which each air supply pipe is connected by means of a non-return valve to a central air chamber. 5. Bath unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which the delivery pipe is connected to the water outlet of the bath by means of a shut-off valve which is operable mechanically and is designed to drain both the bath and the delivery pipe.

Inventors: JANSEN ADRIANUS C H L, JANSEN, ADRIANUS, C., H., L.
Applicants: WHIRLPOOL BV, WHIRLPOOL B.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61H33
IPC codes: A47K3, A61H33