Patent Description:
Additionally, the present application is related to Chinese Utility Model Application No.: <CIT>; Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Patent Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Patent Application No. <CIT>; and Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of massage pool accessories, in particular to an airway structure of a massage pool with a control valve.

The existing massage pool comprises a pool body and a pool chamber surrounded by the pool body. The pool body is formed with an air cavity and has an air connection passage connected to the air cavity, and the air connection passage has an air connection port. During use, the air pump is connected to the air connection port to inflate the air cavity, and a sealing cover must be provided to close the air connection port after inflation. The above-mentioned massage pool has the following shortcomings: the operation is complicated and the use is inconvenient.

<CIT> discloses a massage pool and a gas circuit unit, a gas circuit system and a pool body thereof. The gas path unit of the massage pool is provided with a ventilation part and a first gas receiving part, the first gas receiving part comprises two first gas receiving openings capable of communicating with the ventilation part, the gas path unit further comprises a first assembling structure capable of being detachably connected to the massage pool, the two first gas receiving openings are formed in the first assembling structure, and the two first gas receiving openings synchronously communicate with the massage pool or are synchronously detached from the massage pool through assembling and disassembling connection of the first assembling structure and the massage pool.

<CIT> discloses a water path switching device. The water path switching device comprises a valve body, a rotary shaft, a rotary disc, a first valve element and a second valve element, wherein the valve body is provided with a valve cavity, a water inlet communicating with the valve cavity and at least two water outlets, and the water outlets comprise a first water outlet and a second water outlet; the rotary shaft is rotatably arranged on the valve body, and is provided with an outer end positioned outside the valve cavity and an inner end positioned in the valve cavity; the rotary disc is arranged in the valve cavity, and is connected to the inner end of the rotary shaft to rotate along with the rotary shaft; a slide slot is formed in the rotary disc; a high point, away from the shaft axis of the rotary shaft and a lower point close to the shaft axis of the rotary shaft are formed in the slide slot; the first valve element is equipped with a first slide connecting part which slides in the slide slot; while the first slide connecting part slides to the high point, the first valve element is away from the shaft axis of the rotary shaft so as to close or open the first wateroutlet; while the first slide connecting part slides to the low point, the first valve element gets close to the shaft axis of the rotary shaft so as to open or close the first water outlet; and the structure and the working principle of the second valve element are the same with those of the first valve element.

<CIT> discloses an air-cylinder drive device which consists of a pressure source which supplies pressurized air. It discloses an airway structure with an air connection passage with an air connection port.

The present invention provides an airway structure as defined in claim <NUM> to which reference should now be made. Some preferred and/or alternative features are set out in the dependent claims.

In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides an airway structure of a massage pool.

In another exemplary embodiment, an airway structure of a massage pool with a control valve is provided. The airway structure comprises an air connection passage with an air connection port and a control plate that may rotate relative to the air connection port. A control valve is installed at the air connection port. The control valve has a valve core portion that may slide between an open position and a closed position relative to the air connection port. The control plate is provided with a ventilation port, an open area and a closed area. The open area or the closed area is controlled by the rotation of the control plate to match the valve core portion. The control plate and the valve core portion are in a transmission connection and the rotation of the control plate may drive the valve core to slide. The valve core portion is in the open position through the cooperation of the open area and the valve core portion to open the air connection port and the ventilation port and the air connection port are connected. The valve core portion is in the closed position through the cooperation of the closed area and the valve core portion to close the air connection port.

In an example thereof the control valve further comprises a valve base and an elastic body. The valve base is fixedly mounted on the air connection port. The valve core portion is slidably connected to the valve base. The elastic body is arranged between the valve core portion and the valve base and generates an elastic force to return to the closed position. The bottom surface of the control plate and the valve core portion abut and fit, and the closed area and the open area are located on the bottom surface of the control plate. The open area is in a protruding arrangement relative to the closed area.

In another example thereof, the valve base comprises a sleeve and a guide base fixed outside the sleeve. The guide base is provided with a guide groove. The valve core portion comprises a valve core, a sealing portion fixed on the inner end of the valve core and a lug fixed on the outer end of the valve core. The valve core passes through the sleeve. A gap forming a channel is formed between the valve core and the sleeve. The sealing portion is fitting with the inner port of the sleeve. The lug is connected to the guide groove.

In a further example thereof, the inner wall of the sleeve is protruded with at least two first protruding strips. The valve core is provided with a second protruding strip. The end surface of the first protruding strips and the end surfaces of the second protruding strips are contacted in one-to-one correspondence. Air passages are formed between two adjacent first protruding strips and between two adjacent second protruding strips.

In yet a further example thereof, the elastic body is sleeved on the valve core and abuts between the end of the first protruding strip and the flange protruding from the valve core.

In still another example thereof, the ventilation port is arranged through the open area.

In yet another example thereof, the closed area and the open area of the bottom surface of the control plate are provided with a guide structure capable of cooperating with the valve core.

In still a further example thereof, the control plate can be rotated relative to the air connection port to the first position, the second position and a middle position between the first position and the second position. The closed area of the control plate at the middle position is matched with the valve core portion, and the open area of the control plate at the first position and the second position is matched with the valve core portion.

In a further still example, the airway structure further comprises an air connection portion. The air connection portion is provided with the air connection passage. The air connection portion is protruded with a connecting base. The upper end surface of the connecting base is concavely provided with the above-mentioned air connection port and a C-shaped groove which can be connected to the air inlet. The ventilation port of the control plate located at the second position are aligned and connected to the air connection port, and the ventilation port of the control plate located at the first position is connected to the C-shaped groove.

In another still further example, the airway structure comprises an air connection portion. The air connection portion is provided with the air connection passage. The air connection portion is protruded with a connecting base. The upper end surface of the connection base is concavely provided with the air connection port and the C-shaped groove which can be connected to the air connection port. The ventilation portion of the control plate at the first position and the second position is connected to the C-shaped groove.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the control plate and the valve core portion are connected in a driving manner, and the valve core portion can be driven to slide by the rotation of the control plate. The open area and the valve core portion cooperate to make the valve core portion in the closed position to open the air connection portion and the ventilation portion is connected to the air connection portion, the closed area and the valve core portion cooperate to make the valve core portion in the closed position to close the air connection port, and the ventilation portion and the air connection port can be controlled to open or close through the rotation of the control plate, so as to realize inflation, exhaust and close. An advantage, among others is that the operation is easy and the sealing performance is good. The open area is protrudingly arranged relative to the closed area, and the valve core portion can be driven to slide by rotating the control plate, which is convenient to operate and stable and reliable to control.

The foregoing aspects and many of the intended advantages of this disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of various features and components according to the present disclosure, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principals of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the disclosure which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

In the description, it should be noted that the terms upper, lower, inner, outer, top/bottom, etc. indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation shown in the drawings are only for the convenience of simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the pointed device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure. In addition, the terms first and second are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

The terms "couples", "coupled", "coupler", and variations thereof are used to include both arrangements wherein two or more components are in direct physical contact and arrangements wherein the two or more components are not in direct contact with each other (e.g., the components are "coupled" via at least a third component, but yet still cooperates or interact with each other).

The airway structure and massage pool disclosed in this present disclosure is related to the following applications: <CIT>; Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Patent Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>; Chinese Patent Application No. <CIT>; and Chinese Utility Model Application No. <CIT>.

Additionally, the present application is related to PCT Patent Application No. (<CIT>, titled AN AIRWAY SYSTEM OF A MASSAGE POOL, COMPRISES AN AIR PUMP AND AN AIRWAY UNIT, docket IRC-<NUM>-<NUM>-WO; PCT Patent Application No. (<CIT>, titled AIRWAY STRUCTURE OF A MASSAGE POOL WITH COMPENSATION FUNCTION AND A MASSAGE POOL, docket IRC-<NUM>-<NUM>-WO; PCT Patent Application No. <CIT>, titled AN AIR CONNECTION PIPING DEVICE FOR A MASSAGE POOL, A POOL BODY OF A MASSAGE POOL AND A MASSAGE POOL, docket IRC-<NUM>-<NUM>-WO.

Referring to <FIG>, an airway structure <NUM> of a massage pool with a control valve comprises an air connection portion <NUM>, a ring wall <NUM> and a control plate <NUM>. The air connection portion <NUM> is provided with an air connection passage <NUM> (see <FIG>). The air connection portion <NUM> is fixedly connected with the ring wall <NUM>. The air connection portion <NUM> is protruded with a connecting base <NUM> (see <FIG>) located in the ring wall <NUM>. An upper end surface of the connecting base <NUM> is concavely provided with the air connection port <NUM> of the air connection passage <NUM> of the air connection portion <NUM>.

The control plate <NUM> is rotatably connected in the ring wall <NUM> and the control plate <NUM> contacts and abuts on the connecting base <NUM>. A control valve <NUM> is installed at the air connection port <NUM>. The control valve <NUM> has a valve core portion <NUM> that may slide relative to the air connection port <NUM> between an open position and a closed position. The control plate <NUM> is provided with a ventilation port <NUM>, a closed area <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) and an open area <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>). The closed area <NUM> and the open area <NUM> are arranged on the bottom surface of the control plate <NUM>. The open area <NUM> is protruded from the closed area <NUM>. The ventilation port <NUM> is arranged through the open area <NUM>. The control plate <NUM> rotates to control the closed area <NUM> such as the closed area <NUM> to abut against the valve core portion <NUM>. The control plate <NUM> is connected to the valve core portion <NUM> in a driving manner. The valve core portion <NUM> may be driven to slide by the rotation of the control plate <NUM>. The open area <NUM> is matched with the valve core portion to make valve core portion <NUM> in the open position to open the air connection port <NUM> and the ventilation port <NUM> is connected to the air connection port <NUM>. The closed area <NUM> is matched with the valve core portion <NUM> to make the valve core portion <NUM> in the closed position to close the air connection port <NUM>. During the rotation of the control plate <NUM> from the closed area to the open area, it may drive the valve core portion <NUM> to move to the open position by pressing against the valve core portion <NUM>. When it rotates from the open area to the closed area, it is reset to the closed position under the action of the elastic body, which is easy to operate and has a simple and compact structure. Preferably, the closed area <NUM> and the open area <NUM> of the bottom surface of the control plate <NUM> are provided with a guide structure capable of cooperating with the valve core portion <NUM>. In embodiments, the guide structure is an inclined surface.

In embodiments, the connecting base <NUM> is further recessed with a C-shaped groove <NUM> (see <FIG>) that may be connected to the air connection port <NUM>. The control plate <NUM> may rotate with respect to the air connection port <NUM> to a first position (in the air intake state) and a second position (in the exhaust state) and a middle position between the first position and the second position (in the closed state). The closed area <NUM> of the control plate <NUM> in the middle position cooperates with the valve core portion <NUM>. The open area <NUM> of the control plate <NUM> in the first position and the second position is matched with the valve core portion <NUM>, specifically: the ventilation port <NUM> of the control plate <NUM> in the second position and the air connection port <NUM> are staggered and connected (or aligned or connected through the C-shaped groove) so that the air in the air connection passage is exhausted through the ventilation port <NUM> (the air entering the C-shaped groove does not affect the exhaust), the ventilation port <NUM> of the control plate <NUM> at the first position is connected to the C-shaped groove <NUM>, that is, through the C-shaped groove <NUM>, the air connection port and the ventilation port are connected to inflate the air connection passage <NUM>. Therefore, the rotation of the control plate <NUM> may control exhaust (the ventilation port and the air connection port are aligned and connected), inflation (the ventilation port and the air connection port are connected through the C-shaped groove) or closed (the closed area closes the air connection port). Three states may be chosen by the rotation of the control plate, the operation is easy, and the airway is stable and reliable.

Claim 1:
An airway structure (<NUM>) for a massage pool, the airway structure (<NUM>) comprising a control valve (<NUM>), comprising
an air connection passage (<NUM>) with an air connection port (<NUM>); and
a control plate (<NUM>) rotatable relative to the air connection port (<NUM>); wherein the control valve (<NUM>) is installed at the air connection port (<NUM>), and the control valve (<NUM>) has a valve core portion (<NUM>) that can slide between an open position and a closed position relative to the air connection port (<NUM>); the control plate (<NUM>) is provided with a ventilation port (<NUM>), an open area (<NUM>) and a closed area (<NUM>) arranged on a bottom surface of the control plate (<NUM>), and a position of the open area (<NUM>) and the closed area (<NUM>) are controlled by the rotation of the control plate (<NUM>) to match the valve core portion (<NUM>); the control plate (<NUM>) and the valve core portion (<NUM>) are in a transmission connection and the rotation of the control plate (<NUM>) can drive the valve core (<NUM>) to slide, wherein the valve core portion (<NUM>) is in the open position through the cooperation of the open area and the valve core portion (<NUM>) to open the air connection port (<NUM>), whereby the ventilation port (<NUM>) and the air connection port (<NUM>) are connected, and wherein the valve core portion (<NUM>) is in the closed position through the cooperation of the closed area and the valve core portion (<NUM>) to close the air connection port (<NUM>).