Patent Publication Number: US-2011047691-A1

Title: Multifunctional SPA Device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multifunctional SPA device, which is provided with a vent pipe connected to an inlet end of the pump, so that air will be sucked by the vent pipe and mixed with water in the pump when the pump sucks water via an intake pipe, allowing the jet to pump out water column full of micro bubbles. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     SPA is abbreviated for “Solus Por Aqua”, which means health by water, however, a SPA device is usually expensive and has a large size since it comprises massage bathtub, different-pressure jets, anion generator, and etc. Furthermore, all the parts of the SPA device must be installed as a whole in advance and cannot be directly installed on an already-formed bathtub, that&#39;s why the SPA can only be used for commercial purposes. 
     The power of a conventional SPA massage bathtub is supplied from a pump which produces a massage function by sucking the water of the bathtub in and pumping it out, repeatedly. Some of the water will reside in the pump, therefore, when anyone uses the SPA, it cannot make sure that the water in the bathtub is completely clean because the water residue in the pump will be pushed into the bathtub again through the massage jets, causing the problem that the waste water cannot be completely pumped out (some of the water residues in the pipe between the inlet of the bathtub, the inlet of the pump and the pump. 
     In addition, every massage bathtub, every different-pressure jet and anion generator and etc must be installed with different function structures; therefore, it requires a relatively large installation space and high cost that not every family can afford it. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional SPA device which comprises: a pump, a vent pipe connected to an inlet end of the pump, and a jet connected to an outlet end of the pump, so that air will be sucked by the vent pipe and mixed with water in the pump when the pump sucks water via an intake pipe, allowing the jet to pump out water column full of micro bubbles. 
     Since the outlet end of the pump is provided with a jet, when the intake pipe of the pump sucks water from the bathtub, the water coming out of the jet at the initial time will be squirted out of the bathtub, so that the waste water residue in the pump and the pipes thereof can be expelled out completely, ensuring that the water of the bathtub is clean. When the jet is put into the bathtub, the pump sucks in air via the vent pipe (when the water is continuously pumped out of the intake pipe by the pump, it will produce a vacuum sucking force to suck the air from the vent pipe), it can keep producing bubble water column to massage the user. 
     Furthermore, since the air intake of the vent pipe is controlled by the valve, the pressure of the pump will be adjustable (air is compressible, the bigger the air intake, the smaller the outputted water pressure), so that the jet can pump out water at different pressures and can be hold by the user to spray at the user&#39;s body directly. Or, putting the jet into the bathtub can allow the water of the bathtub to instantly produce countless micro bubbles and become milk white, increasing the O3 concentration of the water and producing anion effect. The micro bubbles can reach deep into pores to do deep cleansing, further, the micro bubbles with rich oxygen can increase the oxygen content of the user&#39;s skin, helping remove toxins and enhance blood circulation). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembly view of a multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the interior structure of the multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative view showing that the multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention is installed on a bathtub; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of operating the multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a jet of the multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an illustrative view showing that the jet is put into the bathtub; and 
         FIG. 7  is an illustrative view showing that the jet is hold by a user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a multifunctional SPA device in accordance with the present invention comprises a pump  1 , a vent pipe  11  connected to an inlet end of the pump  1 , and a jet  13  connected to an outlet end of the pump  1 . Between the pump  11  and the invent pipe  11  is arranged a normally closed solenoid valve  17  which is controlled by a switch  15 , so that air will be sucked by the vent pipe  11  and mixed with water in the pump  1  when the pump  1  sucks water via an intake pipe  12 , allowing the jet  13  to pump out water column full of micro bubbles. 
     The vent pipe  11  is provided with the valve  111  to adjust the air intake, the bigger the air intake, the less water sucked in the pump  1  (and air is compressible), therefore, and the pressure of the water pumped out from the pump  1  will be reduced. And the reverse is also true, when the valve  111  is closed; the pressure of the water pumped out from the pump  1  will increase, and thus the pressure of the water pumped out from the pump  1  can be adjusted by adjusting the valve  111 . 
     Furthermore, there is another valve  111 ′ connected in series to the valve  111  in such a manner that the valve  111 ′ is adjusted and fixed at a position where the air flow and the pressure change of the pump  1  can produce optimum mixing effect. The valve  111  can be adjusted by the user. Hence, when the valve  111  is fully opened (to its max position), the other valve  111 ′ can totally control the mixing ratio of water and air so as to produce an effect of bubble fountain. When the valve  111  is turned down to reduce the air flow of the vent pipe  11 , the pressure of the pump  1  will be increased (the present invention is provided with a pressure gauge  14  to check the pressure of the pump  11 ), making the jet  13  push out water column with different pressures. 
     When the user switches on the switch  15  to make the intake pipe  12  suck water from the bathtub  2 , (as shown in  FIG. 3 , the intake pipe  12  is provided with a check valve, and the normally closed solenoid valve  17  can stop air from being sucked into the vent pipe  11  before the pump  1  is turned on, so as to prevent water from flowing out of the pump  1  and forming vacuum. When all the water in the pump  1  completely flows out by accident, water can be refilled into the pump  1  via a water feed valve  16 , and the intake pipe  12  can be also be fixed in the bathtub  2  in a stationary manner) the water coming out of the jet  13  at the initial time will be squirted out of the bathtub  2 , so that the waste water residue in the pump  1  and the pipes thereof can be expelled out completely. When the jet  13  is put into the bathtub  2 , it can keep producing bubble water column to massage the user. Furthermore, the valve  111 ′ can allow the water of the bathtub  2  to instantly produce countless micro bubbles and become milk white, increasing the O3 concentration of the water and producing anion effect. The jet  13  can also be used to spray the user with water of different pressures, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In addition, the jet  13  is interiorly provided with a thin spray disc  131  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) which is defined with a plurality of small orifices  132  annularly arranged in the outer periphery thereof, so as to produce thin water fog. 
     The jet  13  can further be connected with a pipe  133 , when the jet  13  sprays out water via the pipe  133 , since all the orifices  132  are arranged at the outer periphery of the spray disc  131 , the water sprayed out of the spray disc  131  will be bounced off the inner surface of the pipe  133 , forming turbulence in the bathtub  2 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , and making the bubbles finer (when the jet  13  is hold by the user, the water flow sprayed out of the pipe  133  is a water column, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.