Patent Publication Number: US-2007094784-A1

Title: Spa air system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/715,323 filed Sep. 7, 2005, hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      A bathing system such as a spa typically includes a vessel for holding water, pumps, a blower, water jets, a light, a heater and a control for managing these features. A bathing system may include an air system which permits air to be entrained within a water stream to be jetted into the vessel. The control may include a control panel and a series of switches which connect to the various components with electrical wire. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Features and advantages of the disclosure will be readily appreciated by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a system for bathers including a vessel for holding bathing water, a control system, and associated water management equipment.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary air system for a spa.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary air system for a spa.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method of operating a spa system.  
       FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate exemplary operational sequences for a spa air system.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a spa system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      In the following detailed description and in the several figures of the drawing, like elements are identified with like reference numerals.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates an overall block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a spa system. The system includes a vessel  1  for holding a volume of water, and a control system  2  to activate and manage the various parameters of the spa. Connected to the vessel  1  through a series of plumbing lines  13  are pumps  4  and  5  for pumping water, a skimmer  12  for cleaning the surface of the vessel, a filter  20  for removing particulate impurities in the water, an air blower  6  for delivering bubbles to the vessel through air pipe  19 , and an electric heater  3  for maintaining the temperature of the spa at a temperature set by the user. Generally, a light  7  is provided for internal illumination of the water.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, service voltage power is supplied to the spa control system by electrical service wiring  15 , which can be 120V or 240V single phase  60  cycle, 220V single phase  50  cycle, or any other generally accepted power service suitable for commercial or residential service. An earth ground  16  is connected to the control system and there through to all electrical components which carry service voltage power and all metal parts. Electrically connected to the control system through respective cables  9  and  11  are the control panels  8  and  10 . All components powered by the control system are connected by cables  14  suitable for carrying appropriate levels of voltage and current to properly operate the spa. Water is drawn to the plumbing system generally through the skimmer  12  or suction fittings  17 , and discharged back into the vessel through jets  18 .  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the jets  18  have air injection ports or fittings  21 , connected to air hoses  22  which, in turn, are connected to an air manifold  23 . The air injection ports  21  may be in communication with the water side of the jets  18 . The operation of the jets  18  draw air into the water stream  33  ( FIG. 2 ) being jetted into the vessel  1 , so that a user positioned in the vessel and in front of a jet  18  may experience a sensation or physical effects caused by the combination of water and air bubbles being jetted against a portion of the user&#39;s body.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the air manifold  23  may be a common source of air for more than one therapy jet. In other embodiments, more than one air manifold  23 , each with its own air inlet valve  24  or valves, may provide separate sources of air to different sets of jets  18 . The air manifold  23  may be mounted above the water level  28  ( FIG. 2 ), which may prevent the air injection system from flooding with water.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, an air inlet valve  24  may be opened or closed to lift a valve plate  25  from an air system air inlet port  26 . When the air inlet valve  24  is open, air may be drawn into the manifold. When the air inlet valve  24  is closed, air may be prevented from being drawn into the manifold.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the air inlet valve  24  may be an electronically controlled valve, including for example a solenoid valve actuator. In an exemplary embodiment, the current or power provided to operate the air inlet valve is controlled by or through the control system  2 . Operation of the air inlet valve may also be controlled by a user at the control panels  8  and/or  10 . Various operational sequences may be pre-programmed into the electronic control system, and a user may select among the various pre-programmed operational sequences at the control panel  8 ,  10 , as described below with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 A- 5 D. The electronic control system may also be arranged or programmed to limit the duration of operation of the air inlet valve  24  as described with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 A- 5 D.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an air injection system  30  for a spa  1 . In this exemplary embodiment, the air injection system  30  provides air  32  which forms air bubbles  34  in a water stream  33  being injected into a vessel  1 . A user positioned in the vessel  1  and in front of a jet  18  may experience or feel the sensation or physical effects caused by the combination of the water stream  33  and air bubbles  34  which are jetted into the vessel  1  under pressure created by a pump  5  ( FIG. 1 ) or pumps. The sensation or physical effects caused by the water stream  33  and air bubbles  34  may be a massage.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the air injection system  30  comprises an air manifold  23 . The air manifold  23  may be a cylindrical tube and may be constructed from PVC piping. The air injection system  30  may have at least one air inlet valve  24  and at least one air outlet port  27 . In an exemplary embodiment, an air manifold  23  may have a plurality of air outlet ports  27  which provide air to a plurality of jets  18 . In an exemplary embodiment, a spa may have a plurality of air manifolds, each providing air to different groups of jets.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the air inlet valve  24  may be a solenoid operated valve. The air inlet valve  24  may be spring-biased to be normally closed and may open upon receipt of an electrical signal. The air inlet valve may have a valve plate  25  which may cover an air system air inlet port  26  when in the closed position. In an exemplary embodiment, the air inlet valve  24  may be opened when an electrical current is applied to it. The electrical signal may cause the valve to retract and lift the valve plate  25  from the air inlet port  26 .  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the spa air injection system  30  may comprise at least one water jet  18 . The fluid dynamics, for example the venturi effect of the water stream  33  flowing through the jet  18 , create a region of low pressure, or vacuum, within the jet  18 . At this region of low pressure or vacuum, the water jet  18  may have an air injection port  21  which is connected to the manifold  23 , for example through tubes  22 . Since the air outside of the air system air inlet port  26  may be at ambient air pressure, for example atmospheric air pressure, if the air inlet valve  24  is open while the water stream  33  is flowing through the jet  18 , a pressure gradient will develop between the ambient air pressure outside the manifold and the vacuum generated at the jet  18 . The air pressure gradient may tend to draw air  32  into the air inlet port  26 , through the manifold  23 , the tubes  22  and into the jet, where it creates air bubbles  34  which are jetted into the vessel along with the water stream  33 .  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the jet  18  may have a check-valve  29 , for example a ball check valve, which may be spring-biased to be closed when no vacuum (or insufficient vacuum) is present to cause the valve to open against the spring force. A lack of vacuum or low vacuum may occur, for example, when no or insufficient water flow is present. No water flow may be present, for example, when a water pump shuts off, when the water line is plugged, or when the water/air jet inlet into the spa is stopped up, for example when a user leans against the jet during use. In an exemplary embodiment, the check valve  29  may prevent water from backing up into the air system.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an air system  30  for a spa. The air system  30  includes an air system air inlet port  26  and air inlet valve  24 . In an exemplary embodiment, a check valve  31  may be arranged within the air inlet port  26 . The check valve  31  may be spring biased to be closed in the absence of a vacuum.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, a spa controller may be programmed to open or shut the air inlet valve  24  in response to certain other conditions. For example,  FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary flow chart for an exemplary, pre-programmed operating instruction  100  for the air injection system  30  ( FIG. 2 ).  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the controller  2  ( FIG. 1 ) is pre-programmed to shut the air inlet valve, or stop an operational sequence  120 , after a pre-determined maximum operational period of time has elapsed. For example, the controller may be programmed to shut the air inlet valve after 15 minutes or 30 minutes—or some other maximum period of time. A user may manually initiate operation ( 105 ) of the air valve by operating a button or other control feature mounted on the spa, or on a control panel  8 ,  10  ( FIG. 1 ) to generate an air valve operation signal ( 110 ). In response, the valve receives a signal or series of signals ( 115 ) to open and close according to an air inlet valve operational sequence ( 120 ). The controller may then time the operation of the air valve ( 125 ), starting from the receipt of the air valve operation signal. When the elapsed time exceeds a pre-programmed maximum air inlet valve operational time ( 130 ), the controller generates an air valve off signal ( 135 ). The air valve shuts off ( 140 ), upon receipt of the air valve off signal.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, programming the controller to prevent the air inlet valve from remaining open indefinitely may improve the efficiency of the spa system. For example, when the air valve is open, the water/air mix injected into the spa through the water jet includes both the water—which may be warmed to a temperature above ambient air temperature—and air, which may be drawn from ambient air which may be at an ambient air temperature which is lower than the spa water. If the valve were to remain open indefinitely, the heater on the spa may use more energy to maintain the temperature of the water at the desired temperature due to the continuing injection of lower-temperature air. If the spa is unoccupied while the valve is left open, the benefits to the user of having the air bubbles injected into the spa may not offset the increased operating costs of heating the air-cooled water. By shutting the air inlet valve after a pre-determined amount of time, the spa system prevents the valve from remaining open indefinitely after use. This may save energy where it reduces the load on the system heater.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the controller may be pre-programmed with various, different air inlet valve operational sequences  120 , for example massage sequences, as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D .  FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate the open/shut state of the air inlet valve with respect to time. The air inlet valve is shut until the air inlet valve receives the start signal at some initial time  215  when the air valve receives the operational signal ( 115 ,  FIG. 4 ). The air inlet valve then operates according to the selected, pre-programmed operational sequence  120  until the air inlet valve maximum operational time limit has been reached at some later time  230 , which corresponds to the air valve off signal  135  ( FIG. 4 ). The various operational sequences may include, for example, pulsed open/shut as shown in  FIG. 5A , continuously on/off as shown in  FIG. 5B , always open as illustrated in  FIG. 5C  or open/shut for longer periods as illustrated in  FIG. 5D . In an exemplary embodiment, a user may select any of a number of available pre-programmed operational sequences.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the various operational sequences may comprise, for example, massage sequences. The operational sequence may cause the air system to provide sequences of air bubbles which provide a specific sequence of massing bubbles available to a user. The combined effect of the water stream  33  and the entrained air bubbles  34  ( FIG. 2 ) provide a user positioned in the spa in front of a water jet with a sensation, physical effect or massage which changes over time in a pre-programmed manner in accordance to a pre-programmed sequence, for example the sequences illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-5D .  
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a spa system  40  with a controller  2 . The controller  2  may include an electronic controller and/or a microprocessor. The controller may have a memory  41 . The memory  41  may be pre-programmed with operational sequences  120 , for example, massage sequences. The memory  41  may also be pre-programmed with a maximum operational time limit  42 . In an exemplary embodiment, the memory may include more than one maximum operational time limit  42  from which a user may select a desired maximum time limit.  
      The controller  2  may receive input data or signals from a variety of sources. For example, the controller  2  may receive a start signal, which prompts the controller  2  to start operation of the air inlet valve  24  according to an operational sequence  120 . The start signal may be received from a user operated manual start switch  43  located at a control panel  8  or auxiliary control panel  10 . The controller may also receive a manual stop signal, initiated by a manual stop switch  44  on a control panel  8 ,  10 . A user may be able to select from among the various operational sequences  120  by inputting a selection at an operational sequence select switch  45 , which may be located at a control panel  8 ,  10 . The controller may also receive input from a flow sensor  46 . The controller may shut the air inlet valve  24  or stop an operational sequence  120  upon receipt of a signal indicative of a no flow or low flow condition.  
      It is understood that the above-described embodiments merely illustrate the possible specific embodiments which may represent principles of the present invention. Other arrangements may readily be devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.