Abstract:
A jet assembly includes a casing defining a fluid flow path. The casing is adapted to couple to a basin. An impeller is disposed in the flow path and adapted to generate a flow through the flow path. A motor is coupled to the casing and the impeller and adapted to rotate the impeller. A nozzle is in the flow path adapted to receive flow from the casing and direct the flow in at least two distinct, divergent streams.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/958,930, filed Oct. 10, 2004, which claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Taiwanese patent application number 093105126 filed Feb. 27, 2004 and Taiwanese patent application number 093111340 filed Apr. 23, 2004.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates to water jets, and particularly to jet assemblies for use in a spa or tub.  
         [0003]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a prior art bath  1  is illustrated. In the prior art, a suction inlet motor  2 , a plurality of tubes  3 , an inlet  4 , and a plurality of water outlets  5  are installed in the bath  1 . In use, the motor  2  is actuated so that the suction inlet  4  will draw water into the motor  2  and force the water out of the motor through the tubes  3  to the outlets  5 . The water is transferred to the outlets  5  through the tubes  3  so as to be propelled into the bath  1 .  
         [0004]     Upon use of the prior art system, the tubes  3 , inlet  4  and outlets  5  are never fully purged. The constant presence of water in the system facilitates the growth of bacteria, mold, and algae. Additionally, the inlets  4  and outlets  5  are fixed so that they typically cannot be detached for cleaning. The tubes  3  also become difficult to clean, often requiring the use of bleach or cleaning agent added to the bath  1  and operation of the system for a period of time for cleaning. Failure to undertake the time-consuming and cumbersome process of forcing a cleaning solution through the prior art system, especially for systems used by many different people, can result in the spread of infectious bacteria and other disease, and results in a general unsanitary state of the bath.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     In one aspect, jet assembly includes a casing defining a fluid flow path. The casing is adapted to couple to a basin. An impeller is disposed in the flow path and adapted to generate a flow through the flow path. A motor is coupled to the casing and the impeller and adapted to rotate the impeller. A nozzle is in the flow path adapted to receive flow from the casing and direct the flow in at least two distinct divergent streams.  
         [0006]     In another aspect, a pedicure basin assembly includes a basin body adapted to hold a fluid. Only one jet assembly is coupled to the basin body. The jet assembly is adapted to receive fluid from the basin body and direct the fluid back into the basin body in at least two distinct divergent directions.  
         [0007]     Various of the aspects can include one or more of the following features. For example, the jet assembly can include a casing defining a fluid flow path and adapted to couple to a basin, an impeller can be disposed in the flow path and adapted to generate a flow through the flow path, and a motor coupled to the casing and the impeller and adapted to rotate the impeller. In some aspects the jet assembly can also include an air intake disposed through the casing and adapted to introduce air into the flow path. In some aspects the jet assembly can include an intake cover adapted to allow passage of fluid from the basin body into an interior of the jet assembly, and a nozzle adapted to direct fluid from the interior of the jet assembly in the at least two divergent streams. The intake cover can include a solid portion adjacent the nozzle and an apertured sidewall portion about a perimeter of the intake cover. The nozzle can include a V-shaped flow divider. The basin body can be adapted to receive the feet of a user and the jet assembly can be adapted to direct flow toward both of the user&#39;s feet concurrently. The pedicure basin can include a chair, and the jet assembly and can chair reside on opposite sides of the basin body.  
         [0008]     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art bath system.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative jet assembly in accordance with the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the water jet assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the jet assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0013]      FIGS. 5 and 5 A are a cross sectional view and a detail cross sectional view of a portion of the jet assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0014]      FIGS. 6 and 6 A are a cross sectional view and a detail cross sectional view of another portion of the jet assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the water jet assembly of  FIG. 2  that illustrates a mode of operation of a jet assembly.  
         [0016]      FIGS. 8 and 8 A are a cross sectional view and a detail cross sectional view of the nozzle of the jet assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an illustrative bath system including a plurality of jet assemblies in accordance with the invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a partial view in cross section of a jet assembly including an air inlet.  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of an illustrative water jet assembly that includes a water sensor in accordance with the invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a schematic of an illustrative water sensor for use with a water jet assembly in accordance with the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of the water jet of  FIG. 11  illustrating a water level that is insufficient to allow operation of the jet.  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view of the jet assembly of  FIG. 2  including a multi-directional nozzle and alternate face plate configuration.  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is a an illustrative pedicure bath system including a single jet assembly. 
     
    
       [0024]     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an illustrative water jet assembly  10  constructed in accordance with the invention includes a motor  40  with a housing  41 , an intake cover  12  having a nozzle aperture  14  and one or more intake apertures  16 , and a locking ring  34 . A fastener  18  may also be included to secure the cover  12  to a casing  32 . The motor  40  provides rotational energy via a drive shaft  42  through the casing  32  to a cycling unit  20 . The intake apertures  16  may be sized such that debris such as dirt, foreign objects, hair, or other matter may not enter the casing  32  when the cover  12  is secured to the casing  32 .  
         [0026]     In the implementation shown, the cycling unit includes a mask  22 , a nozzle  24  movably secured within flanges  23 , an impeller  26 , and an impeller seat  28 . A casing assembly  30  may include the jet casing  32 , a locking ring  34 , and a sealing ring or O-ring  36 . Additionally, the casing  32  may be coupled to the motor housing  41 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the jet casing  32  includes a flange  39  that may be sized such that the body of the casing  32  may be inserted from the interior of a tub or basin  46  through a jet aperture  48  and the flange  39  seats against an interior surface  47  proximate to the jet aperture  48  of the basin  46 . Once the body of the casing  32  is inserted through the interior of the basin  46 , the O-ring  36  and the locking ring  34  may be tightened against the exterior of the tub to hold the casing  32  in place to prevent leakage of fluids from within the basin  46  through the jet aperture  48 . It should be understood that various components, such as the casing  32 , intake cover  12 , one or more components of the cycling unit  20 , and one or more components of the casing assembly  30  may be manufactured from suitable materials, such as polymers, copolymers, plastics, nylons, olefins, polybenzothiazole composite, metals, or other suitable materials having sufficient properties for jet assembly components.  
         [0027]     In the implementation shown in  FIG. 4 , the locking ring  34  is threaded to mate with threads on the exterior of the body of the casing  32 . In alternative implementations, other configurations such as a J-latch may be used to secure the locking ring  34  to the casing  32  to hold the casing  32  in place.  
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a cross-sectional view of the water jet assembly  10 . The motor  40  with drive shaft  42  is coupled to the jet casing  32  such that the drive shaft  42  operably engages a drive bushing  50 . The drive bushing  50  may be positioned such that it protrudes through a drive aperture  52  in the casing  32 . In the implementation shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the drive bushing  50  has a drive receiver portion  54  adapted to receive the drive shaft  42  and an impeller receiver portion  56 . Additionally, the impeller  26  includes an impeller shaft  58  adapted to be inserted into the impeller receiver portion  56  of the drive bushing  50 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  also shows fasteners  18  and  43 , which may be used to secure the intake cover  12  to the casing  32 . The fastener  18  may be a screw, bolt, or other suitable fastener that extends through the intake cover  12  and is secured into a screw tab  37 . Alternatively or additionally, a J-latch  43  may be utilized such at the latch may be rotated into a secured position opposite the intake cover  12  proximate to a J-latch tab  41 . The fasteners  18  and  43  may be hand manipulable. Alternatively, the fasteners  18  or  43  may be required to be manipulated by a tool, such as a screwdriver.  
         [0030]     The impeller  26  includes fins  25  when the impeller  26  is rotated. The fins  25  draw fluid axially across the impeller  26  through the flowpath  70  (see  FIG. 7 ). As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the impeller  26  may include a shroud receiver  60 . The shroud receiver  60  is adapted to receive a shroud shaft  29 . In operation, the shroud  27  and shroud shaft  29  operate to maintain the position of the impeller  26  in the cycling assembly  20  during the operation of the jet assembly  10 . It should be understood that the shroud  27  is not necessary for the operation of the jet assembly  10 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , however, the impeller shroud  27  may be received in an interior of the mask  22  to prevent wear on the impeller  26  through excessive movement within the cycling assembly  20 . Additionally, the impeller seat  28  may be coupled to the mask  22  to lock the impeller  26  into position within the cycling assembly  20 . The impeller seat  28  may be coupled to the mask  22  by any suitable method, such as a J-latch, a rotational locking mechanism, or other suitable means. During operation of the water jet  10 , the impeller shroud  27  may be static with respect to the rotation of the impeller  26 . Accordingly, a bearing  62  may be installed at the shroud receiver  60  to bear against the impeller  26 . The bearing  62  may be manufactured of any suitable wear-resistant material that allows rotation of the impeller  26  with respect to the shroud  27 , such as nylon, graphite, metal, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composite or other suitable material to prevent wear of the shroud  27 , the impeller  26 , or both during operation of the water jet assembly  10 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  illustrates the operation of an implementation of the water jet  10 . Upon activation of the motor  40 , the drive shaft  42  rotates and imparts rotation to the drive bushing  50 . The impeller shaft  58 , inserted into the impeller receiver portion  56  of the drive bushing  50 , in turn rotates the impeller  26 . The rotation of the impeller  26  draws water, air, or other fluid or fluid mixture through the intake apertures  16 . The impeller seat  28  may be positioned such that fluid flow, illustrated by directional arrows  70 , may be drawn into the impeller  26  and thrust out of the nozzle  24 . This thrust through the nozzle  24  provides a concentrated stream of fluid out of the jet assembly  10 . The mask  22  and casing  32  define a fluid flow  70  through the jet assembly to that partitions fluid to drawn in at intake apertures  16  from fluid flow  70  thrust out of the impeller  26  and out nozzle  24 . Partitioning fluid in this manner reduces any turbulence that could occur by fluid moving in opposite directions interacting.  
         [0032]     In an alternate implementation the motor  40  may be reversed, so that the drive shaft  42  rotates in the opposite direction to that described above with respect to  FIG. 7 . Accordingly, operation of the jet assembly  10  in this manner would draw fluid through the nozzle  24  and force the fluid out of the jet assembly  10  through the intake apertures  16 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  illustrates an implementation of the jet assembly  10  in which the nozzle  24  is movably coupled to the mask  22  by flanges  23 . In the implementation shown, the nozzle  24  includes a spherical portion adapted to fit into a substantially spherical cavity defined by the flanges  23  of the mask  22 . The nozzle  24  may protrude through the nozzle aperture  14  such that the nozzle  24  may be manipulated into alternative positions by hand.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  illustrates an implementation that includes a plurality of jet assemblies  10  installed in a basin  46 . It should be understood that any number of jet assemblies  10  might be installed in a basin  46  or similar container to provide fluid streams  70  within the basin. For example, in some situations a basin, for example a foot basin, may have only one jet assembly  10 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  illustrates an alternative implementation of a jet assembly  10  that includes an air intake  72 . During operation of the jet assembly  10 , the air intake  72  may provide an air stream  74  into the fluid  70 , and the fluid  70  mixes with the air stream  74  to provide a fluid/air mixture  76  that is propelled through the nozzle  24 . The air stream  74  may be forced through the air intake  72  by a compressor or other pressurized air source (not shown), or the air stream may be drawn through the air intake  72  through the creation of a vacuum by the velocity of the fluid  70  through the jet assembly  10 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 11, 12  and  13 , another implementation includes an automatic shutoff system  100 . The automatic shutoff system includes a plurality of sensors  102 , a sensing element  104 , a control element  106 , and a switch  108 . The sensors  102  may be connected to the sensing element  104  to detect the conductivity between the sensors  102 .  
         [0037]     As best seen in  FIG. 13 , the jet assembly  10  may be positioned in a basin such that when a fluid level  110  within the jet assembly  10  is sufficiently high, the fluid completes the circuit between sensors  102 , the sensing element  104  senses the completed circuit, and transmits a signal to the control element  106  that activates the switch  108 . Conversely, if the fluid level  110  is too low, the circuit between sensors  102  is not complete, the sensing element  104  does not transmit a signal to the control element  106 , and the control element  106  deactivates the switch  108 . When the switch is deactivated, the motor  40  is shut off, so that the jet assembly  10  does not operate with insufficient fluid levels. Alternatively, the sensing element  104  may be operable to detect the resistivity of the fluid between the sensors  102 , such that when the fluid level  110  is too low to contact all of the sensors  102 , the sensing element  104  provides a signal to the control element  106 , whereby the control element  106  deactivates the switch  108  to shut off power from the motor  40 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 14  illustrates an implementation of the jet assembly  10  including a multi-directional nozzle  80  configured to direct the fluid flow  70  in a plurality of distinct, divergent streams. By referring to the streams as distinct, it is meant to distinguish the divergent streams from the natural tendency of a flow to fan (substantially continuously) as it reacts against a body of fluid. In other words, although the distinct streams may eventually merge, they are two separate, distinct streams, not a single steam that fans outward. The streams are divergent in that the streams are substantially centered about diverging trajectories. In the implementation shown, nozzle  80  defines an interior flow chamber  84  having a curvilinear V-shaped flow divider  86  affixed therein. The flow divider  86  is offset from an inlet  88  of the nozzle  80  and substantially bisects the flow chamber  84  into two divergent passages  90  and  92 . The fluid flow  70  entering the inlet  88  is divided between the two passages  90  and  92  by the flow divider  86 . The passages  90  and  92  are elongate in the direction of flow to guide the fluid flow  70  into a stream. In other configurations, the flow divider  86  can be configured to divide the flow chamber  84  into three or more passages. For example, a three sided pyramid-shaped flow divider can divide the flow among three passages, a four sided pyramid-shaped flow divider can divide the flow among four passages and so on. In the configuration of  FIG. 14 , the fluid flow  70  is directed in two trajectories approximately 60° apart and in substantially the same plane. In other configurations, the nozzle  80  can direct flow at other trajectories in obtuse or acute angles (e.g. 15°, 30°, 45°, 90° or other angle) and/or in differing planes. Also, although depicted with curvilinear sides, other configurations of the flow divider  86  (or flow dividers of other configurations), can be provided with substantially planar sides. In the implementation shown, a cross-sectional area of the passages  90  and  92 , orthogonal to the direction of fluid flow, is substantially equal, so that flow is divided substantially equally between the divergent passages  90  and  92 . A portion of the nozzle  80  adjacent the passages  90  and  92 , respectively, flares open to define outlets  94  and  96  that substantially maintain the cross-sectional area through the passages  90  and  92 . In other instances, the outlets can have a smaller cross-sectional area than the passages  90  and  92  to increase the velocity of fluid from the jet assembly  10 . Also, the cross-sectional area defined in the passages  90  and  92  may be substantially circular, oval, rectangular, square or other shape.  
         [0039]     Also, similar to that described above, the nozzle  80  has a spherical portion adapted to fit into a substantially spherical cavity defined by flanges  23 . The nozzle  80  can be manipulated into various alternate positions to direct the fluid flow from the jet assembly  10  in different directions.  
         [0040]      FIG. 14  also depicts and alternate configuration of intake cover  82 . The intake cover  82  includes an inwardly sloping frusto-conical front face  98  having an inner diameter that receives the nozzle  80 . A perimeter sidewall  78  extends from front face  98  to receive the casing  32 . The intake cover  82  can be secured to the casing  32  with a fastener and/or a J-latch as described above (not specifically shown) and/or may thread, snap lock and/or otherwise attach to the casing  32 . The front face  98  of the intake cover  82  adjacent the nozzle  80  is solid (unapertured), and the intake cover  82  includes a plurality of apertures  16  about the sidewall  78 . The apertures communicate fluid flow  70  into the interior of casing  32 . By omitting apertures  16  on the front face  98 , the fluid flow  70  into the interior casing  32  does not cross and is not disrupted by the divergent fluid flow  70  out of the nozzle  80 . In other instances, one or more apertures can be provided on the front face  98 . Of note, the casing  32  depicted in  FIG. 14  is similar to the casing described above, in that it is formed as a single piece of material and has no leak paths from the basin to the exterior of the casing between the flange  39  and drive aperture  52 .  
         [0041]     Although shown with the nozzle  80 , it should be appreciated that the alternate intake cover  82  can be used with any of the other configurations of the jet assembly  10  described herein. For example, the intake cover  82  can be used with nozzle  24 . Likewise, the nozzle  80  can be used with any of the other configurations of the jet assembly  10  described herein. For example, the nozzle  80  can be substituted for nozzle  24 . Moreover, the intake cover  82  and/or nozzle  24  can be configured to retrofit existing jet assemblies  10 , for example to upgrade the jet assembly  10 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 15  shows the jet assembly  10  with a multi-directional nozzle  80  and alternate intake cover  82  in a pedicure basin assembly  146 . The pedicure basin assembly  146  includes a chair  148  in which a user of the pedicure basin sits and a well  150  into which the user may place their feet (location of feet represented by dashed lines  152 ). The well  150  contains the water in which the user&#39;s feet will be bathed. The pedicure basin assembly  146  of  FIG. 15  includes only a single jet aperture  48  and only a single jet assembly  10  residing therein. However, because of the multi-directional nozzle  80 , the jet assembly  10  can direct fluid flow  70  to impinge on both of the users feet (about dashed lines  152 ) concurrently. In other configurations, the pedicure basin assembly  146  can contain two or more jet apertures  48  with jet assemblies  10  residing therein. For example, in certain instances, the pedicure basin assembly  146  can be provided with two jet assemblies  10 , one configured to jet from the front of the user and another configured to jet from the rear of the user. Also, although the jet assembly  10  is depicted in  FIG. 15  as jetting from the front of the user (i.e., the chair  148  and jet assembly  10  reside on the opposite sides of basin assembly  146 ), the jet assembly  10  can be provided to jet from any direction about the pedicure basin assembly  146 . In certain instances, the jet assembly with or without multi-directional nozzle  80  and/or alternate intake cover  82  can be provided in different types of basins, tubs, bowls, sinks, fountains or other fluid receptacles.  
         [0043]     Though the subject matter contained above describes implementations of a jet assembly in detail, it should be understood that various modifications, substitutions, and/or additions might be made to various implementations without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.