DEVICE FOR MOISTENING AIR IN A SAUNA

Abstract: The invention concerns a box-like vessel (1), in which there is filter material (4). The vessel (1) can be placed on top of a sauna stove, whence at least most of the water thrown on the stove to create steam travels through the filter material (4).

Description: DEVICE FOR MOISTENING AIR IN A SAUNA The object of this invention is a device for humidifying the air in a sauna and for evening the spread of steam. In known devices, the sauna air has been humidified by means of open vessels of water, water tanks connected to the sauna stove, nozzles and 'spirits of the sauna'. These have the common characteristic that they must be separately filled and/or adjusted. In addition to the above, other devices are known, for example from Finnish patent 86249 and Swedish patent 360260, with the aid of which water is led to the stove by using a vessel-like structure with a perforated base. However, both have the drawback that even though the water may indeed spread more evenly through the base, in any event it comes out of the holes immediately after it has been placed on the base in one way or another. This invention is intended to obviate the above drawbacks and create a device that is easier to use than those described above and which has the effect of considerably evening the spread of steam. The device humidifies the air when water is thrown onto it, part of the water evaporating in the filter due to the effect of the throwing and the rest filtering onto the stove stones to create a more even discharge of steam. Evaporation can be adjusted by means of the size of granules in the filter material, by its density and by the thickness of the filter layer, as well as by the size and density of the holes in the base sieve. The invention also lengthens the life of electrical elements, because the water flows more evenly onto the stove stones. When the water to be evaporated flows through the filter, part of it evaporates immediately due to the heat and part filters more evenly onto the stove stones, giving a more humid and even discharge of steam. The characteristics of a device according to the invention for humidifying the air in a sauna are described in greater detail in the characteristics part of claim 1. In the following, the basic idea of the invention is described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows one device according to the invention in partial cross-section and Figure 2 shows a device according to the invention installed on top of a sauna stove. The following description is of one embodiment, which is believed to be highly practicable, but this is in no way intended to limit this invention to only this example. The frame of the filter comprises a box-like trough 1 , made from e.g. thin stainless steel sheet. The sides have 40 mm-high edges bent upwards and welded together at the corners 5. Holes of 2 mm diameter are drilled in a 10 mm grid in the base sieve 2. The material used as a filter is 5 mm screened broken stone, which is spread as a 20 mm-thick layer on top of the base sieve 2. Filter mesh 3, consisting of 4 mm-mesh steel net, is placed on top of the filter material 4. The external dimensions of the base of the filter are the same as the size of the opening of the sauna stove's stone box, so that the device essentially covers the sauna stones. Figure 2 shows one way of installing the device on a stove. It is placed horizontally 0 - 20 mm above the sauna stones, with the aid of the adjustment legs 6. In this case, the adjustment legs 6 are 6 mm threaded bars attached to nuts 7, which are welded to the corners of the device. There are four adjustment legs. Of course, the height of the filter can be altered according to the filter material used, while the size of the base can be less than the size of the opening of the stove's stone box, with the result that part of the water thrown onto the stove will go directly onto the stove stones and the other part through the filter. The filter can be of stone, ceramic materials, steel wool, cellular steel material or other similar material, by means of which the flow of water onto the stove stones can be regulated. The base sieve and the mesh over the filter material can be a perforated plate, steel mesh, a steel plate, in which a certain number of differently sized holes has been drilled to create a desired through-flow of water, or some other similar material, by means of which the flow of water can be adjusted. By means of the density of the filter material, its granule size and layer thickness, and by the size and density of the holes in the base sieve, it is possible to regulate the effect of the discharge of steam from the evaporation of water in the filter and the flow of water onto the stove stones. The device can be installed directly on top of the stove stoves, on legs on top of the stove stones or the stove, on legs set on the floor, or directly attached to the stove. It may also be set on a linkage attached to the floor, wall or stove, whence it may to turned to the side, if required. The filter can also be installed in a framework made in connection with the stove according to the size of the filter, or otherwise correspondingly set on top of or above the stove stones. The filter may also be a low, box-like filter cartridge, which can be installed separately or on top of a steel framework, or otherwise correspondingly on top of or above the stove stones. The filter mesh can lie freely on top of the filter material or it may be permanently fitted to the filter frame. The device may also be without a filter mesh, if the particular filter material does not move when water is thrown onto it. The device is installed directly on top of the stove stones, or is supported above them, but in such a way that the necessary air circulation is ensured for the stove elements.

Claims: Claims 1. A device designed to humidify sauna air - particularly to increase the air humidity in a sauna with an electric stove, and to even out the discharge of steam - made in the form of a trough-like vessel (1 ) intended to be placed on top of the stove, and in which there is a base permitting the passage of water, characterized in that the vessel (1) contains a filter material (4). 2. A device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it includes a filter mesh (3) set on top of the filter material (4). 3. A device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the base permitting the passage of water is formed by a perforated plate, net or other similar permeable material. 4. A device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it includes four adjustable legs (7) for installation on top of the sauna stove. 5. A device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it includes legs, a framework, and a linkage or similar, for installation on top of or connected to a sauna stove. 6. A device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the filter material is stone, ceramic material, steel wool, cellular steel material or other similar filter material, for regulating the velocity of flow of the water. 7. A device according to any one of the above Claims, characterized in that its surface area corresponds essentially to the surface area of the stove, or is smaller than it. 8. A device according to any one of the above Claims, characterized in that the filter material (4) is located in a cartridge-like construction. 9. A device according to Claim 8, characterized in that the side walls of the cartridge-like construction are formed by the side walls of the vessel (1 ).

Inventors: PALORANTA JARMO TAPIO, PALORANTA NINA KIRSI-MARJA, PALORANTA VAEINOE MATIAS, PALORANTA, JARMO, TAPIO, PALORANTA, NINA, KIRSI-MARJA, PALORANTA, VAEINOE, MATIAS
Applicants: MAALAAMO PALORANTA OY, PALORANTA JARMO TAPIO, PALORANTA NINA KIRSI MARJA, PALORANTA VAEINOE MATIAS, PALORANTA, JARMO, TAPIO, PALORANTA, NINA, KIRSI-MARJA, PALORANTA, VAEINOE, MATIAS
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61H33
IPC codes: A61H33