Abstract:
A personal treatment device comprising a personalized capsule that has a bed for a person to lie thereon in a supine position, the capsule has a cover that is openable for access to the bed and closeable to define a chamber in which a person lies. The cover has a divider adjacent a head portion of the bed, such that the head of a user will extend out of the cover. Suitable heaters are provided in the cover to radiate energy onto a person on the bed, and a steam generator is provided for adding steam as desired to the interior of the chamber and also to direct steam toward the face of a user under control of the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/289,628, filed Apr. 12, 1999, entitled THERAPY STEAM AND HEAT TREATMENT, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a personalized therapy cabinet or enclosure having a bed on which a person will lie and be treated with both heat and steam therapy on an individually controlled basis to permit a person to provide overall therapy. 
     Individual personalized saunas have been advanced, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,809, and these devices have used dry heat for providing a pleasant environment for a person reclining on a vibratable bed. Steam has also been used in cabinets such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,915, which shows a vibrating, reclining chair with a hood on the outside that carries a speaker, a fan and an oxygen inlet. The steam supply also is provided to the interior of this type of cabinet. Various other steam sauna or steam cabinets have been advanced as well. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,578, shows a compartment having treatment with light and heat, together with a vibratable bed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a personalized cabinet which includes a bed, and which has an array of interior heaters for providing controllable dry heat to a user, and which further has one or more steam sources controlled for providing steam to the interior of the cabinet. Steam is provided on the interior of the cabinet and ducts can be used for directing the steam to various locations for desired therapeutic treatment. There are also steam outlets on a control panel that direct steam onto the face of a riser. A removable transparent tunnel hood can be placed over the head of the user to direct the steam over the face. 
     A fan is used to provide a positive pressure to insure proper steam distribution. 
     By providing a combination of heat and steam with a full length bed, which can be vibrated if desired, the treatment can take place as needed for complete relaxation and therapeutic applications of both radiating heat and steam. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal therapy compartment made according to the present invention shown in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the compartment of FIG. 1 illustrating schematically the positioning of a person in the compartment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an end view thereof illustrating the control panel and selected steam outlets; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the compartment of FIG. 1 shown in the cover with an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line  5 — 5  in FIG. 4 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the control panel showing a modified steam outlet comprising a flexible tube that can be directed to portions of the user&#39;s face and head; 
     FIG. 7 is a view of the device of FIG. 6 in a stored or collapsed position; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modified steam hood used with the present invention; 
     FIG. 8A is a further modified form of a steam hood used with the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of the panel at the head end of the housing with a further modified form of a combined steam outlet and access opening cover; 
     FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the device of FIG. 9 in a position to direct steam toward the face of a user; 
     FIG. 11 is a view shown with the cover moved inside the housing so that a hand illustrated schematically can extend through the opening for access to the controls of the unit; and 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a steam deflector that is used over the steam outlets, if desired, with the device of the present invention, which also are shown in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A personalized compartment illustrated generally at  10  comprises a base  12  that rests on the floor or surface, and supports a hollow cabinet type structure  14  that defines an interior chamber or compartment  16 . A bed support wall  17  is supported on the interior and configured to form a bed  18 . The bed  18  is provided with a plurality of cushions, as shown individual cushions  20 A,  20 B and  20 C for supporting the legs, and torso. A pillow  22  is also provided for resting a user&#39;s head (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 at  26 ) on an exterior of the cabinet when the cover indicated at  28  is closed. 
     The base  12  is made with a bottom wall  13  which, with the bed support wall  17 , forms an interior chamber shown at  32  (FIG.  5 ), in which a steam generating  34  is mounted. The steam generating includes a heater assembly  35 , shown schematically in FIG. 4 that is in a water tank  36 , and when powered, generates steam which is provided through a pair of exhaust outlets indicated at  40  and  41 . The exhaust outlet  40  is connected to a duct  43  that extends to an outlet port opening  40 A on a side flange  45  of the bed support wall  17 . 
     The outlet  41  connects to a duct  42  which leads to a port or opening  41 A on a side flange  47  of the bed support wall  17 . 
     It can be seen that the base  12  and the cover  28  can be molded with a double wall construction as shown schematically in FIG.  5 . The double wall can form steam passageways or ducts to provide steam spouts below the bed wall  17  or in the cover  28  to discharge steam into the interior chamber  16  formed by base  12  and cover  28 . The outlet opens for steam can be at desired locations, but the outlets or spouts shown at  40 A and  41 A are along the sides, on the flanges, to direct steam into the interior chamber  16  where a use will be resting on the bed  18 . 
     The cover  28  is hinged with suitable hinges  44  to the base  12 . The base  12  extends upwardly on one side a substantial distance, and the cover is arranged so that it can be raised and lowered from an open position shown in FIG. 4, to a closed position shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  5 . 
     The cover is provided with a plurality of infrared heaters indicated generally at  46 A,  46 B,  46 C and  46 D in FIG.  4 . These heaters are constructed so that they will operate safely, and powered from a power source indicated schematically at  48 , through controls  53  shown schematically. The controls  53  are on a divider panel  50 , that has a neck opening  52  and which is attached to the cover at the head end as shown at  54 . 
     The divider panel  50  is provided with the controls  53  on a control panel  53  as shown in FIG.  3 . The control panel is near an upper side of the divider  50 . The controls  53  include on-off switches for each heater, and a thermostat  64  to control the maximum, and if desired, the minimum temperatures in compartment or chamber  16 . The thermostat can be responsive to temperature sensors in the chamber  16 . 
     The divider panel  50  has steam outlet openings  60  at desired locations to permit steam to exhaust onto the face of a user. The steam outlets  60  are of the type that are louvered and controllable, so that they can be shut off, or rotated to direct the exhausted steam in selected directions, similar to the outlets of air conditioning and heating ducts in an automobile. These are conventional louvers that are shown at the outlet openings  60 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the outlet openings  60 , instead of having louvers over the openings can be connected to flexible tubes  90  (one of which is shown) over each of the outlet openings  60 , or to only one outlet opening. The flexible tube  90  will have a support ring  92  at its outer end with pivoting louvers  94  that can be adjusted in a normal manner. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, this flexible tube  90  can be collapsed or compressed, so that it does not protrude far beyond the panel  50 , as shown. The tubes permit the user to extend the outlet for steam and move it around. The tubes  90  can be used to direct steam in desired locations, to give greater versatility to the treatment. 
     Alternatively, a transparent duct or housing  57  can be provided to direct steam over the user&#39;s face when desired. The duct is open ended and intercepts the steam flow from outlets  60  at the inner end  57 A, and steam then flows across the user&#39;s face and out the outer end  57 B. The duct or housing size can be selected as desired. The inner end can be tilted up or have scoops to catch the steam from outlets  60 . The flexible tubes  90  would not be used when the duct  57  is used. 
     A first modified form of the facial steam housing or duct is shown in perspective view in FIG.  8 . There, the duct  96  is molded, and has an end  98  that fits against the panel  50 , if desired, and the outlet  60  would be inside the duct as shown in dotted lines in FIG.  8 . This duct is molded into more of a streamlined shape, and includes support pads  100 , that will rest on support walls of the housing in a suitable position. An opening  102  is provided, but the head of a person can actually fit within this duct, and sight openings  104  are provided in the top wall so that a person inside the duct is able to read the gauges and other instruments on the panel. This duct  96  is removable, if desired as well. 
     A second modified form of a facial steam duct or hood is shown in FIG. 8A. A housing or hood  95  that can be transparent or opaque has a wall that encloses the head of a user and tapers around the end of the compartment with a wall section  95 A to enclose the head of a user. The hood  95  can be hinged as at  97  so it will open as shown in dotted lines. If desired the closed end hood  95  can have side edges shaped as in the form shown in FIG.  8  and supported on the interior of the head end of the compartment, instead of being hinged. This hood is similar to the hood shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,578, and can include lights shown schematically at  99  that is intense enough light therapy, as described in that patent. 
     The thermostat  64  also can be connected to the heater  35  of the steam generator to control the steam generator for turning it on and turning it off when the temperature is outside desired limits. A separate thermostat can be used for controlling the heaters  46 A- 46 D. Each of the heaters  46 A- 46 D can be individually controlled by thermostat, if desired, or one temperature setting can control all of the heaters simultaneously. 
     The interior chamber  16  will be held above atmosphere pressure as steam generates so a flow out of openings or ports  60  will occur. A fan  61  is mounted at the foot end and can be turned on to create greater pressure, particularly when steam is to be discharged from outlets  60 . The fan  61  is variable speed and controlled with a controller  61 A. The flow indicated by arrows  61 B creates movement of the steam across the body and out the ducts so they are opened, for satisfactory therapy. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the fan  61  can discharge into a ducting system indicated generally at  108 , and the interior of the housing can have a duct wall  110  formed therein, so that the fan discharges upwardly against this wall. A divider wall  112  can complete the duct, and an opening  114  leads into the chamber  16  where a person rests. A deflector wall  116  can be provided (it can be removable) so that the airflow goes downwardly at the foot end, and does not discharge directly into the upper portions of the chamber. This ducting, including the deflector  116  for deflecting flow downwardly, insures that steam generated and which is subjected to an increased pressure by fan  61  so that it will discharge out through the opening  60 , will not exhaust directly across a user but will be deflected down for flow control. The fan pressure causes steam to discharge through opening  60  and one of the facial ducts used or through the flexible tubes  90  as desired. Adequate pressure will be provided for such use. 
     A simple hand opening  66  covered with a flap will permit a person to reach the controls with the arm inside the chamber  16 . 
     FIGS. 9,  10  and  11  show a modified steam outlet configuration, and hand and arm access opening. As shown in FIG. 9, the panel  50  which is shown fragmentarily can have an opening  120  therethrough, and a door panel  122  that can be formed of a fabric, and reinforced with a plastic plate indicated at  124 , the fabric can be secured in a suitable manner to the panel  50  at the upper edge of opening  120 , as shown in FIG.  10 . The fabric or other flexible material is made to form a hinge  126  (FIGS.  10  and  11 ). The panel  124  forms a cover for the opening  120 , and the sides are connected with a folding or gusseted flexible material  128  on each of the sides, to provide a shield for steam to be ducted out as indicated by arrows toward the face of a user. 
     The dotted lines showing of  122  in FIG. 10 is with the panel  122  in closed position, and it can be held there with a suitable friction type connection, or a snap catch. A finger knob  130  can be utilized for moving the panel. The panel  122  can be pulled inwardly to the interior chamber  16 , as shown in FIG. 11, to provide an access opening for a hand  132  to protrude through the opening  120  to operate control knobs or do other tasks on the outside of the panel  50 . The hands of a person in the chamber  16  are inside the chamber and on the inside of the panel  50 . 
     The panel  122  can be reinforced with the suitable material  124 , or can be made as a separate panel with flexible side gussets  128  and a flexible hinge  126  separately formed. Adjustment of the panel controls the amount of steam coming out, and also then provides for exterior access for the hand of a person whose arms are inside the chamber  16 . 
     As can be seen, the heaters  46 A and  46 B over the legs extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of a person or of the bed, and the heaters  46 C and  46 D, which are in the chest and torso area are extending longitudinally along the length of the person being heated, and are spaced apart a selected distance. 
     A suitable gas spring indicated at  77  can be provided for maintaining a cover in an open position, and has opposite members mounted at  79  and  81  to the cover and base cabinet, respectively. 
     A power box or power source indicated at  48 A can be provided in the base, for the steam generator as shown schematically in FIG.  4 . Suitable connection cords pass out through the wall of the cabinet and are connected to house current. Such power cords such as shown at  48 B can be maintained at any desired position. 
     The individual cushions forming the bed, shown at  20 A- 20 C are supported so that they can be vibrated for vibration at the same time that steam and heat are being felt by the body. Schematically illustrated for cushion  20 C is a cushion support panel  70 , that is supported on suitable elastomeric or resilient balls  72  relative to the bed wall  17  in a recessed portion shown at  74 . A vibrator  76  can be mounted onto the panel  70 , and controlled from the control panel  52  to provide vibration as desired. Additionally, the cushion  20 B is in a position where it is supported on elastomeric ball  72  (it would be supported at all four corners) and a vibrator  78  can be used for vibrating the smaller cushion  20 B. The same type of support on elastomeric balls  72  can be used for the cushion  20 A as well, and thus, individual vibration sensations can be obtained by the user. The vibrations can be individually controlled manually or can be programmed to be energized at preselected times. 
     This type of vibration mounting is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,809. 
     Additionally, if desired, aroma therapy treatment can be added by adding outlets on the divider panel  52  and a source of aroma placed on the interior of the chamber that would be controlled by the operator. Music can be added as well for therapy of the user, but the addition of the steam in the interior compartment as well as the infrared heat permits satisfactory individually controlled therapy. Adding lights further to the interior of hood  95  as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,578 adds light therapy treatment. 
     The steam generator used is a commercially available unit, and can be selected in size to accommodate the size of the chamber  16  as desired. Additional steam outlet spouts or ports can be provided in either the cover  28  or in the base  12 , at desired locations, and these outlets can be individually controlled with suitable valves or louvers. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 12, schematically, the steam outlets  40 A and  41 A can be covered with steam deflector assemblies  140  and  140 A. The steam deflector assemblies can be made of a suitable plastic material and secured in place on the flanges  45  and  47  that carries the steam outlets. The steam ducts can have sufficient length to support the deflectors  140  and  140 A, as desired. The deflector  140  is shown in FIG. 12, and it is a right-hand deflector but the left-hand deflector  140 A is a mirror image of this. It can be a panel  144  of plastic that is formed in a desired shape, as shown, tapered upwardly toward a center line  146 . End members  148  can be provided to be supported on portions of the housing, such as the flange  47 , of the bed support wall. The deflector can be secured in place with suitable clips, or merely rested in position if it is desired to remove or move them from time to time. The center portions of the deflector panel  144  can have a support member  150  that is shown in dotted lines, that would overlie the steam duct  40 A. The panel  144  has a series of steam discharge openings  152  along its length so that the steam is deflected to come out along the sides of the cover and the housing, and flow upwardly the sides as shown by arrows in FIG.  5 . The steam deflectors  140  and  141  help distribute the steam as desired. The side flanges  45  and  47  can be formed to receive the end portions  148 , if desired. The deflectors again divert the steam coming out of the main outlets to be diffused out through a plurality of openings that are adjacent to the side walls and cause the steam to flow upwardly along the side walls. The fan  61  also then will provide a flow of steam toward the panel  50 , and out across the face of the user. 
     If desired, a small fan, such as that shown at  80  in FIG. 4, can be provided in addition to main fan  61  for moving additional steam through the openings or ports  60 , and as stated, direct steam outlets could be provided as well through the double walled cover and small provided ducts connecting to the port  60  on the interior of the divider  50 . The duct or tunnel  57  can be sized as desired. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.