Patent Publication Number: US-6334224-B1

Title: Whirlpool jet assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains generally to the field of whirlpool bath and spa jet assemblies. More specifically, the invention herein relates to a jet assembly which provides a choice of either a rotary jet configuration or a stationary articulatable jet configuration depending upon whether a rotor is installed in or removed from the assembly. 
     2. Prior Art 
     There are prior art patents which disclose jet assemblies which may be configured by the user to operate as either a rotary jet to cover a large area of the body or an articulate stationary jet to impinge on a selected smaller area of the body. However, each such prior art patent discloses a jet assembly where in order to accomplish such reconfiguration, the user must first remove one component and then install another. 
     A search of the prior art reveals the following patents: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 3,950,045 
                 Hart 
               
               
                   
                 4,241,464 
                 Buckwalter 
               
               
                   
                 4,349,923 
                 Chalberg 
               
               
                   
                 BI 4,349,923 
                 Chalberg (Re-Examination) 
               
               
                   
                 4,407,455 
                 Sargent 
               
               
                   
                 4,508,665 
                 Spinnett 
               
               
                   
                 4,704,826 
                 Kirkland 
               
               
                   
                 5,014,372 
                 Thrasher et al 
               
               
                   
                 5,095,558 
                 Howard 
               
               
                   
                 5,217,163 
                 Henshaw 
               
               
                   
                 5,271,561 
                 Tobias et al 
               
               
                   
                 5,291,621 
                 Mathis 
               
               
                   
                 5,810,257 
                 Ton 
               
               
                   
                 5,810,262 
                 Ton 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Of the foregoing prior patents, the following appear to be most pertinent: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,262 to Ton is directed to a spa jet with interchangeable nozzles. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the interchangeable spa jet includes a wall fitting assembly 11, an adjustable body assembly 13, a rotatable nozzle assembly 15, and an eyeball nozzle assembly 17. The adjustable body assembly 13 includes an adjustable jet face 33, which is sonically welded to an adjustable jet body 29. The jet body 29 mounts to rotate through a selected arc within the wall fitting assembly 11. The rotating nozzle assembly 15 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 16-21. It is preferably molded from a thermoplastic material and comprises a cylindrical pipe section 36, a nozzle 30 and a male retainer or bracket 32. The pipe section 36 forms the inlet 37 of nozzle 30. The nozzle head 60 has two diverging channels 62, 63 which terminate in respective outlets 48, 49. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,561 to Tobias et al is directed to a rotary jet hydrotherapy device and method. A first stage 40 of the outlet 10 includes a water nozzle 42 through which water entering the chamber 24 is dispensed. The first stage 40 has a diffuser 44 composed of a plurality of fins 46 adapted to diffuse any vortex set up in water conducted through the passageway 22 prior to its entry into the nozzle 42. The second stage 52 has external threads 58 for securing it within the chamber 26 and includes a second nozzle 60 and retainer arm 62 for gripping a third stage 64. The system also includes a non-rotating replacement nozzle 78 has a bulbous end 80 which can be retained by the arm 62 of the second stage 52. Thus, if a user would prefer to have a constant, rather than varying flow pattern, the third stage 64 may be removed and replaced with the nozzle 78. Another aspect of the system is an annular adaptor seat 82, which can be used in lieu of the gasket 56. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the rotatable nozzle 74 is retained in association with the inner race 90 via a snap fit of extensions 96 therein. FIG. 4 shows the jet body 14 equipped with the non-rotating nozzle 78 assembled to the second stage 52 in lieu of the third stage 64, which has been removed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,665 to Spinnett is directed to a retrofit pulsator apparatus and method for an air/water mixer of a swimming pool, therapy tub, spa or the like. As shown in FIGS. 2-7, the pulsator fitting 50 has a molded plastic rotor portion 52 and a molded plastic stator or flow-disturbing member portion 53. Two generally diametrically opposite flow passages 64 and 65 extend completely through the rotor from its upstream end 54 to its downstream end 56. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotor 52 is rotatably mounted in the stator bore 70 with the pin 58 projecting outwardly through the socket 74 and the rotor thrust bearing 60 engaging the inner surface of the cross bar juncture 73. To convert the conventional, non-pulsating mixer 10 to the pulsating mixer 51, the existing eyeball 39 and its retaining nut 41 are first removed from the existing outlet and mounting fitting 35. Next, the pulsator fitting 50 is simply screwed into the outlet fitting bore 38 until the pulsator flange 69 contacts the existing mounting flange 37, as shown in FIG. 3. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,455 to Sargent is directed to a snap-in rotatable sprinkler. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the sprinkler 11 includes a body 19, a rotatable sprinkler head 21, and a restrictor or jet 23. The body 19 has an axial passage 31 extending completely through the body. The passage 31 includes cylindrical passage sections 33 and 35 of different diameters forming a smooth shoulder 37. Jet 23 is coaxially mounted within the passage section 33 and is suitably retained against a small shoulder 47. The sprinkler head 21 has one portion 55; which is rotatably received in the passage 31 and a second portion 57 which projects from the body 19. To assemble the sprinkler head 21 and the body 19, the retainer 45 is forced through the passage section 35 to the position shown in FIG. 2 in which the retainer is captured between the shoulder 37 and the face 53 of the jet 23. This snap-fit formed by the retainer 45 and the shoulder 37 facilitates quick assembly and disassembly of the sprinkler 11, thereby facilitating manufacture and cleaning. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,257 to Ton is directed to a rotary spa jet. FIG. 5 depicts the face of the nozzle head 60 and illustrates the skewed direction of the outlets 48, 49. When the nozzle head 60 is in the position shown, channel 62 is directed downward and outward, and channel 63 is directed upward and outward. As water passes from each channel&#39;s inlet, the radial forces on the walls of the channels 62, 63 cancel, while a downward force is exerted on channel 63 and an upward force is exerted on channel 62. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, a jet housing provides an articulatable, stationary nozzle for directed small area impingement by a jet stream of aerated water. The jet housing also selectively receives a rotary assembly which can be installed over the articulatable nozzle to provide a rotary jet configuration instead. Thus, unlike the noted prior art, the present invention may operate either as a rotary jet or as a stationary jet by either installing or removing a rotary assembly. The nozzle tube is never removed from the assembly, but instead provides an interface for receiving the rotary assembly when it is desired to convert from an articulatable stationary stream to a rotating stream. Conversion in reverse is accomplished simply by removing the rotary assembly which frees the nozzle tube for articulation by limited rotation of an inner eyeball structure. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a whirlpool jet assembly which selectively provides a choice of either rotary or directable stationary jet configurations depending upon whether a rotary assembly is installed in or removed from the jet assembly. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a whirlpool jet assembly wherein a user may readily convert from a rotary configuration to a directable stationary configuration by simply pulling out a rotary assembly from the face of the jet assembly. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide a whirlpool jet assembly wherein a user may readily convert from a directably stationary configuration to a rotary configuration by simply pushing a rotary assembly into the face of the jet assembly without removing any component from the jet assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be more fully understood hereinafter as a result of a detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional drawing of the jet assembly of the present invention shown configured for rotary operation; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the rotary-configured jet assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the rotary-configured jet assembly; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view similar to that of FIG. 3 but with the rotary assembly removed to provide directable stationary operation; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the rotary assembly and nozzle/eyeball assembly of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the invention with rotary assembly and nozzle/eyeball assembly removed; and 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of the jet assembly configured for directable stationary operation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the accompanying figures, it will be seen that a jet assembly  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a Venturi body  12  having a water inlet  14  and an air inlet  16 . A bracket  15  provides installation support for the pipes attached to the Venturi body  12  when it is secured around the perimeter of a tub. The Venturi body  12  provides a nozzle receptacle  18  terminating in a flange  20  which is designed to abut the external surface of a bathtub wall. 
     The fully assembled configuration of the jet assembly  10  shown in FIGS. 1-3, also comprises a jet face  22  and a rotor  24 . Rotor  24  provides a pair of canted apertures  26  separated by a divider  28 . Jet face  22  has a plurality of symmetrically located indentations  30  to facilitate rotation of the face in the rotary mode to adjust the flow rate. Rotor  24  is retained in a rotor chamber  36  in the jet face  22  in a rotatable configuration by its flange  25  held in slidable engagement by a low friction retainer  34 . Jet face  22  has a large flange  32  which covers the underlying structure. Jet face  22  is integral to a jet rotor body  38  which is affixed at a junction  54  to an eyeball retainer  56  (discussed below) and has three different mechanisms for securing the jet face and body to the end  63  of a nozzle tube  60 . These are a plurality of outer centering lugs  40 , a plurality of outer support flanges  44  and a plurality of inner centering lugs  42 . As seen in FIG. 7, the nozzle end  63  presents a flow passage  46  terminating in an undulating configuration with alternating inner edges  53  and outer edges  55 . The jet face and body are secured to the nozzle end  63  wherein outer centering lugs  40  engage the inner edges  53 ; the outer support flanges  44  engage the outer edges  55 ; and the inner centering lugs  42  engage the flow passage  46 . This combination along with frictional engagement of jet rotor body  38  with nozzle housing  52  (see FIG.  6 ), assures firm but releasible attachment of the jet face and body for rotary operation. Moreover, nozzle end  63  is flanged to enhance engagement with support flange  44 . 
     As seen best in FIGS. 3-5, nozzle tube  60  extends rearwardly into an eyeball  59 , the rear end of which comprises a partial enclosure  58 . Eyeball  59  is secured for limited articulation within a retainer  56  which provides an O-ring  57  to prevent water from leaking past the eyeball and nozzle during operation. A retainer flange  65  limits the angular motion of the eyeball and nozzle as seen best in FIG.  4 . Various gaps and apertures  62 ,  64  and  66  assure unobstructed air flow into the nozzle tube  60  while an aperture  61  in conjunction with partial enclosure  58 , permits adjustment of water flow volume in the nozzle tube by rotation of the tube along its longitudinal axis in both the stationary and rotary modes. Nozzle housing  52  mates with a threaded ring  50  which, in turn, threads into secure engagement with receptacle  18  of Venturi  12  as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     In operation, the assembly is affixed to a tub wall as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and Venturi inlets  14  and  16  are attached to water and air lines, respectively. Upon activation of a water pump (not shown), water enters nozzle tube  60  and through Venturi action, sucks air into the flow. If the rotor  24  is installed, the water and air mixture exits through apertures  26  imparting a rotational torque on the rotor which then rotates in place to direct a pair of rotating jets onto a large region of a user&#39;s body. If the rotor  24  is removed (along with body  38 ) the user is free to adjust the nozzle tube  60  by grasping end  63  to direct a stationary flow onto a smaller region of the user&#39;s body. 
     Thus, it will be seen that all of the aforementioned objects are satisfied by the illustrated embodiment wherein by simply installing or removing the rotor and rotor body, the user can select either rotary flow or directed stationary flow without removing any other components of the assembly.