Water and air mixing nozzle for hydromassage bath

Abstract: An inner shell (20) is contained, and able to rotate, within an outer shell (10) fixed to a hole (9) in the tub (8); an inner duct (21) facing the tub is fixed to the shell (20), to which there is also joined a tubular element (40) communicating with a first chamber (27) which has its front mouth (41) positioned within the inner duct (21); a unidirectional valve means (44, 45, 46) is applied to the mouth (41) and arranged to close the passage through the mouth (41) when the pressure in the region to the front of the mouth (41) is greater than in the region to the rear; in the duct (21) there is a tubular valving member (50) having an axial cavity containing the front mouth (41) of the tubular element (40) and comprising an intermediate section (50a) which on making contact with the outer surface of the intermediate portion (43) of the tubular element (40) closes the communication between a second chamber (28) and the front mouth (22) of the inner duct (21); the valving member (50) is normally urged into its closure position by elastic means (51) and is able to undergo axial movement as a result of a difference in pressure between the region upstream and the region downstream of said intermediate section (50a).

Description: This invention relates to a nozzle for feeding an air and water mixture into a hydromassage tub. Hydromassage tubs are known to comprise a usual bath tub provided on its walls with nozzles fed by a system which withdraws water from the previously filled tub and again feeds it under pressure into the tub through said nozzles, mixed with air. A tub provided with a hydromassage system is also used for normal body cleaning baths, and it is important that when the hydromassage system is inactive the nozzles do not allow water to seep towards the system pipes and form stagnant water regions which, being mixed with substances removed from the user's skin, could create mould and bacteria, which would be recycled during the next hydromassage. In addition the nozzle must be able to be orientated at will to enable the air and water jet to be directed in the preferred manner. Moreover, said nozzles must also draw air from the surroundings and mix it with the pressurized water jet so that the hydromassage is effected with an air and water mixture, it being an important condition that the skin of the body be struck by air bubbles so that in addition to undergoing massage it also undergoes an effective oxygenating action. EP-A-0 372 642 and EP-A-0 455 088 disclose a nozzle of the above mentioned type in which the jet may be directed under pressure into the tub with different orientations. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a nozzle able to satisfy the aforesaid requirements and functions, which gives better results than known nozzles while at the same time being of simple and low-cost construction. This and further objects are attained by the invention as defined in the claims. The invention is described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate one embodiment thereof. Figure 1 is a section on a vertical axial plane showing the nozzle of the invention in the closed configuration Figure 2 is a detail of the nozzle of Figure 1, shown in the configuration for passing the air-water mixture Figure 3 is a rear view of Figure 1 with certain parts removed. The nozzle comprises an outer shell 10 and an inner shell 20. The outer shell is generally cup-shaped and is intended to be fixed, by a ring nut 11 screwed onto the mouth 12 of the shell 10, to a hole 9 provided in a wall 8 of the tub to which the hydromassage system is to be applied. The shell 10 has a globally spherical concave inner surface 10a generally facing the tub interior. The inner shell 20 comprises outer walls 26' and 26'' defining a globally spherical convex outer surface 20a which fits exactly within the surface 10a of the shell 10. The fit between the two shells 10 and 20 is such that the shell 20 is constrained to the shell 10 but is able to vary its orientation by rotating in any plane in space about the ideal centre of the spherical surfaces 10a and 20a The seal between the two surfaces 10a and 20a is provided by annular gaskets 13 compressed between said surfaces 10a and 20a. The inner shell 20 comprises, on an axis A, an inner duct 21 the mouth 12 of which faces the tub interior. An annular element 22 defining the front mouth of the duct 21 is screwed onto the front end of the duct 21. The element 22 possesses an annular portion 22a projecting inwards towards the duct 21. Said element 22 acts as a shield against water-knocking, in addition to having an aesthetic function. For constructional reasons the inner shell 20 is formed in two separate portions 20' and 20'' joined together by pins 23, which form part of the portion 20' and are forced into cylindrical seats 24 forming part of the portion 20''. The duct 21 is joined to the wall 26' and possesses a front portion 21' and a rear portion 21'' with its rear end free. The pins 23 are positioned on this rear end. The outer wall 26' forms part of the portion 20' and the other wall 26'' forms part of the portion 20''. The two walls 26' and 26'' are spaced apart to define an annular aperture 26a extending circumferentially about the axis A. In combination with the shell 10, the shell 20 defines a rear first chamber 27 connected to an air feed duct 29 communicating with the external environment. A second chamber 28 is defined at the aperture 26a, into which a lower water feed duct 31 opens. Said chamber 28 connects the duct 31 to the front mouth 22 via the passage existing between the cylindrical seats 24 and between the free end of the duct portion 21'' and the wall 26''. A tubular element 40 is provided within the inner shell 20 and has its rear end joined to the rear wall 26'' of the shell 20, where an aperture 26b is provided connecting the cavity of the element 40 to the chamber 27. The element 40 is coaxial to A and comprises a front mouth 41 positioned within the duct 21. The front mouth 41 has an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the rear portion 42 of the element 40, and is connected to the portion 42 by an intermediate portion 43 of rounded convex outer profile. Within the duct 21 there is a tubular valving member 50 comprising a cavity, coaxial with A, containing the front mouth 41 of the tubular element 40. The valving member 50 possesses a front portion 52 by which it makes sealed contact, in axially slidable relationship, with the cylindrical inner surface of the portion 21' of the duct 21. The tubular valving member 50 comprises an intermediate section 50a, the inner surface of which is normally urged by elastic means (such as a helical spring) 51 against the outer surface of the intermediate portion 43, the inner diameter of the section 50a being less than the maximum diameter of the portion 43. The front portion 52 of the valving member 50 is of frusto-conical shape diverging towards the front end. The rear portion 53 is widened in the shape of a bell and surrounds the rear portion 42 of the tubular element 40 to define therewith an annular cavity with its cross-section slightly diverging towards the rear end. Said intermediate section 50a is defined by the connection piece between the front portion 52 and the rear portion 53. On the outer surface of the front portion 52 there is an annular seat 54 comprising an outer annular rib and open in a radially outward direction to house an annular anti-friction gasket 55 which is pressed into contact with the inner surface of the portion 21' of the duct 21 by a thrust ring 56. The gasket 55 forms a axially sliding seal against said inner surface of the portion 21'. The axial sliding of the valving member 50 within the duct 21 defines a closed position, when the intermediate section 50a is in sealed contact against the intermediate portion 43 (as shown in Figure 1), and an open position, when the intermediate section 50a has moved forwards and is not in contact with the intermediate portion 43 (as shown in Figure 2). When in said closed position there is no communication between the chamber 28 and the front mouth 22, whereas this communication exists when the valving member 50 is in the open position. In addition to being subjected to the axial thrust of the spring 51, the valving member 50 is also able to undergo axial movement as the result of a possible pressure difference between the regions upstream and downstream of said intermediate section 50a. This is due to the fact that the diameter of the section where sealed contact takes place between the front portion 52 and the inner surface of the duct 21 (ie the inner diameter of the portion 21') is greater than the diameter of the intermediate section 50a. Consequently, on the valving member 50 there is defined an axial thrust surface the area of which is equal to that of a circular ring having an outer diameter equal to the diameter of the portion 21' and an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the intermediate section 50a. A unidirectional valve means is applied to the front mouth 41 of the tubular element 40 to close passage through the mouth 41 when the pressure in the region to the front of the mouth 41 is greater than the pressure in the region to its rear. Specifically, said valve means comprises a spherical valving member 44 housed in the cavity of the mouth 41. The mouth 41 possesses a rear conical seat 45 for the ball 44 with a hole 45a for passage of the air. In addition, at the front end there are radial front projections 46 for halting the ball 44 while leaving an air passage open. Finally, the diameter of the ball 44 is less than the diameter of the cavity of the mouth 41, the ball being able to sealedly close the passage hole 45a by resting against the seat 45. When the hydromassage system is not in operation and the tub is full, the spring 51 maintains the valving member 50 continuously urged against the tubular element 40 so that the water present in the mouth 22 and front portion 52 cannot pass into the second chamber 28, ie cannot pass beyond the intermediate section 50a. This seal is made even more hermetic by the presence of the water in the tub, which acts on said thrust surface defined by the valving member 50. As there is no pressure in the chamber 28 to oppose the thrust of the water in the tub, this thrust presses in the sense of urging the valving member 50 against the body 40. At the same time, the thrust of the water filling the tub (and the portion 52) maintains the ball 44 pressed against the seat 45, to maintain the hole 45a hermetically sealed. Consequently the tub water can also not pass beyond said seat 45. When the pump of the hydromassage system is operated it draws water from the tub and feeds it under pressure through the duct 31 and into the chamber 28, where it reaches the region between the element 40 and the rear portion 53 of the valving member 50. This water also penetrates into the annular region defined between the outer surface of the valving member 50 to the rear of the gasket 55 and the inner surface of the portion 21'' of the duct 21. Hence because of the greater pressure of the water present in the chamber 28, the thrust of the spring 51 and the thrust of the water in the region to the front of the section 50a are overcome so that the valving member 50 moves forwards to allow water to flow from the chamber 28 and into the tub. This open position is maintained by the dynamic action of the water within the passageway defined between the portion 53 and the portion 42, this passageway being advantageously convergent in the direction of movement of the water. As a result a water jet leaves at high speed through the axial cavity of the valving member 50 in the direction of the tub. Because of the relatively high speed which it possesses when it passes by the front mouth 41 (because of the relatively small passage cross-section in the region between the intermediate section 50a and the tubular element 40), it produces a suction action which separates the ball 44 from the seat 45 and draws air from the chamber 27. The ball 44 is drawn against the front projections 46, the air being able to pass around the ball and between the projections 46. The air drawn from the atmosphere via the chamber 27 and the water pumped by the hydromassage system then mix in front of the mouth 41.

Claims: An improved nozzle for emitting a water and air mixture for hydromassage, to be fixed to a tub wall and comprising: an outer shell (10) to be fixed to a hole (9) in the tub wall (8) and having a globally spherical concave inner surface (10a) facing the tub interior ; an inner shell (20) having a globally spherical outer convex surface (20a) and housed as an exact fit within the inner surface (10a) of the outer shell (10) in such a manner as to be able to vary its orientation relative to the outer shell (10), and having an inner duct (21) which opens towards the tub interior; said inner shell (20) defining, in combination with the outer shell (10), a rear first chamber (27) communicating with an air feed duct (29), and an annular lateral second chamber (28) separated from the first chamber (27) and communicating with a water feed duct (31) and with the front mouth (22) of the inner duct (21); a tubular element (40) joined to the inner shell (20) and communicating to its rear with said first chamber (27), its front mouth (41) being located within the inner duct (21); said front mouth (41) of the tubular element (40) having an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the rear portion (42) of the tubular element (40), said front mouth (41) and said rear portion (42) being connected together by an intermediate portion (43); a undirectional valve means applied within the tubular element (40) to close the passage through the mouth (41) when the pressure in the region to the front of the mouth (41) is greater than the pressure in the region to its rear; a tubular valving assembly which is slidable under sealed conditions within the inner duct (21), has an axial cavity which contains the front mouth (41) of the tubular element (40), and has an intermediate section (50a) which on making contact with the outer surface of the intermediate portion (43) of the tubular element (40) closes communication between the second chamber (28) and the front mouth (22) of the inner duct (21); said valving assembly being normally urged into its closure position by elastic means (51) and being able to undergo axial movement as a result of a difference in pressure between the regions upstream and downstream of said intermediate section (50a). Characterized by the tubular valving assembly is a one piece tubular valving member (50), whose axial movement to its open position is limited by an outer annular rib of the annular seat (54) integral with the member (50), which rests against an annular element (22) screwed onto the front end of the duct (21). A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said tubular valving member (50) has a front portion (52) of shape diverging towards the front end, and a bell-shaped widened rear portion (53) which surrounds the rear portion (42) of the tubular element (40) to define together therewith an annular cavity with its cross-section diverging towards the rear end, said intermediate section (50a) being defined by the section which connects said front portion (52) to said rear portion (53). A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the diameter of the section where the front portion (52) of the tubular valving member (50) seals against the inner surface of said inner duct (21) is greater than the diameter of said intermediate section (50a) of the tubular valving member (50) so as to define a axial thrust surface for the valving member (50). A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said unidirectional valve means comprises a spherical valving member (44) housed within the cavity of the front mouth (41) of the tubular element (40), said front mouth (41) having for the spherical valving member (44) a rear conical seat (45) provided with a hole (45a) for air passage ad having radial front projections (46) for halting the spherical valving member (44), said spherical valving member (44) having a diameter less than the diameter of the cavity of the front mouth (41) and being arranged to close said passage hole (45a) by resting against said seat (45).

Inventors: LEONI CARLO, LEONI, CARLO,, Leoni, Carlo, c/o Ideal Standard S.P.A.
Applicants: IDEAL STANDARD SPA, IDEAL STANDARD S.P.A.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A61H33
IPC codes: A61H33, A61H23, A47K3