Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/090,771, filed Jun. 26, 1998 and entitled Apparatus for Purifying Spas/Jetted Tubs. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to systems of purifying waters used in spas and jetted tubs. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods specifically configured and adapted for the treatment, for example, for the purification, of waters used in spas and jetted tubs.  
           [0003]    Spas, jetted (hot) tubs and the like are often treated with active compounds to maintain the water therein in a purified or sanitized condition. Compounds, such as is chlorine and ozone, have been used to sanitize the relatively large volumes, for example, hundreds or thousands of gallons, of water in such spas, tubs, etc. As used herein, the terms “spa” and “jetted tub” refer to systems which hold or contain a body of liquid aqueous medium, hereinafter referred to as water, which is often heated, in a reservoir which is smaller than a swimming pool, but is sufficiently large so that an adult human being can be completely submerged or immersed in the water contained in the reservoir.  
           [0004]    Spas are often used by submerging all or a major portion of one&#39;s body in the water in the reservoir for recreation and/or relaxation. Additional, separate purifying or sanitizing components are also included in spa waters to control bacteria, algae, etc., which are known to contaminate such waters. Very low concentrations of these active materials are used in order to avoid harming sensitive parts of the body—since such spas, tubs, etc. are sized so that the entire body can be immersed in the water and to minimize costs, because of the relatively large volume of water to be treated. For example, the normal (that is the typical, non-acute contamination) concentration of ozone used to purify or sanitize the water in a spa or tub is often in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.05 parts per million (ppm) based on weight of ozone per volume of water (w/v).  
           [0005]    Typically, ozone is generated on site for use in purifying spa/tub waters. Conventional ozone generators used for such service include a sealed ultraviolet (UV) light lamp which is known to produce ozone in the desired amounts. Such conventional ozone generators are generally effective. However, these generators do have certain drawbacks. For example, the UV light lamp is relatively bulky, can burn out (often requiring system disassembly and lamp replacement) and are relatively inefficient in producing the desired amounts of ozone.  
           [0006]    Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide new systems for purifying waters used in spas and jetted tubs.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    New systems, for example, apparatus and methods, for purifying the waters in spas and jetted tubs have been discovered. The new systems employ ozone as the purifying/sanitizing component. The ozone is generated using an assembly which is compact, durable, convenient, reliable, requires little or no maintenance and generates ozone efficiently, for example, more efficiently than a conventional UV light lamp ozone generator. Such an ozone generator is particularly effective in producing purifying amounts of ozone for spas and jetted tubs used for recreation and/or relaxation. The owners of such spas and jetted tubs want to use these items when desired, want the water to be effectively purified/sanitized, but do not want to spend large amounts of time/money on maintenance. The systems of this invention meet these requirements.  
           [0008]    In one broad aspect, the present apparatus for purifying the water in a spa or jetted tub comprise an ozone generator and a transfer assembly. The ozone generator is sized and adapted to purify the water in a spa or jetted tube, and includes a chip electrode assembly adapted to produce ozone from air using an electric discharge. The transfer assembly cooperates with the ozone generator to pass ozone produced by the ozone generator to the water in the spa or jetted tub.  
           [0009]    Preferably, the ozone generator is effective to produce sufficient ozone to purify (sanitize) the water in a spa or jetted tub containing about 50 or about 200 to about 1000 or about 5000 gallons of water. The concentration of ozone in the water in the spa/jetted tub is generally as noted elsewhere herein. Two or more ozone generators in accordance with the present invention can be utilized together if larger volumes of water are to be treated.  
           [0010]    In one particularly useful embodiment, the chip electrode assembly is adapted to produce ozone from air using a corona discharge. The ozone generator preferably further includes a transformer (an electrical transformer) sized, adapted and located to control the electric power (voltage) provided to the chip electrode assembly. Often, the ozone generator operates on conventional line voltage. For example, the transformer may be adapted to function by being provided with (to be inputted with) supply (e.g., line) A.C. electric power of about 100 to about 130 volts.  
           [0011]    Alternatively, a 12 volt D.C. system may be employed to supply electric power.  
           [0012]    One specific ozone generator useful in the present invention is the generator sold by Del Industries under the trademark ZO-CDS or CDS 16 . The specifications for the CDS 16  ozone generator include power: 110-120 VAC, 50/60Hz, 90 mA and 11W; flow: 3 SCFH or 1415cc/min; and weight: 12oz or 340g.  
           [0013]    Any suitable transfer assembly may be utilized provided that it functions to cooperate with the ozone generator to pass ozone produced by the ozone generator to the water in the spa or jetted tub.  
           [0014]    The transfer assembly preferably includes a water pump, an adductor assembly and a transfer conduit. The adductor (or venturi) assembly has an inlet and an outlet. The transfer conduit is adapted to provide a passage for ozone-containing gases between the ozone generator and the adductor assembly. The water pump is positioned to pump water from the spa or jetted tub through the adductor assembly. The transfer conduit is positioned so that the passage of water through the adductor assembly causes ozone-containing gases from the ozone generator to pass through the transfer conduit into and through the adductor assembly.  
           [0015]    The water pump can be, and preferably is, the spa/jetted tub water pump, that is the pump used to circulate water in the spa/jetted tub. In one useful embodiment, the adductor assembly is located in a bypass conduit and a minor amount, that is less than about 50%, of the water being pumped by the water pump is passed through the bypass line.  
           [0016]    The transfer assembly preferably includes a water transfer line which circulates water from and to the spa or jetted tub, a filter located upstream of the adductor assembly in fluid communication with the water transfer line and adapted to remove solid or particulate matter from the water passing through the water transfer line. The transfer assembly preferably further includes a heater adapted to heat the water flowing through the water transfer line upstream of the adductor assembly.  
           [0017]    In one embodiment, the ozone transfer conduit is configured to reduce the probability of water passing from the adductor assembly to the ozone generator. This feature is designed to avoid detrimentally affecting the ozone generator. For example, the ozone transfer conduit may include a water trap. The ozone transfer conduit may include a loop (for example, a water trap loop), preferably located above the adductor assembly, to reduce the risk of water contacting the ozone generator. The ozone generator preferably is located above the water level in the spa/jetted tub. The present apparatus may include a check valve, for example, of conventional design, located in the ozone transfer conduit and adapted to prevent fluid flow in the ozone transfer conduit toward the ozone generator.  
           [0018]    Methods for purifying/sanitizing waters located in spas and jetted tubs are included within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, these methods comprise employing the present apparatus to provide a purifying/sanitizing amount of ozone to the water located in the spa/jetted tub.  
           [0019]    Any combination of two or more features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features in each such combination are not mutually inconsistent. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like reference numerals.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a generally schematic illustration showing an embodiment of the present invention in use in purifying the water in a spa.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ozone generator used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the housing cover removed.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inner surface of the housing cover of the ozone generator used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the ozone generator used in the embodiment in FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the ozone generator used in the embodiment in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    Referring now to the drawings, the present purification apparatus, shown generally at  10 , includes an ozone generator, shown generally at  12 , and a transfer assembly, shown generally at  14 . Ozone generator  12  includes a housing body  16  and a housing cover  18  which is adapted to be joined or connected to the housing body by coupling threaded inserts  20  through complimentary cover holes  22  with threaded screws (not shown).  
         [0027]    With housing cover  18  secured to housing body  18 , ozone generator  12  is in the form of a compact, closed unit. Located within the space  24  between the housing body  16  and housing cover  18  is an ozone-producing corona discharge chip electrode  26 . Ozone-containing gases produced from air, which enters housing body  16  through air inlet  27  in the housing, by chip electrode  26  exit the housing through housing outlet  28 , which can be an integral part of the housing body  16 . The air inlet may, and preferably does, include a particulate filter, for example, of conventional construction. Both the housing body  16  and housing cover  18  can be made from any suitable material or materials of construction. Preferably, these components are made of polymeric material. The ozone generator  12  typically has a length in a range of about 4 inches to about 10 inches, a width in a range of about 1 inch to about 6 inches and a thickness of about 0.5 inch to about 4 inches.  
         [0028]    An electrical transformer  30 , of conventional design, is included within space  24 . Electrical transformer  30  processes line power, e.g., 120V, from source  32  through power cord  33  into power suitable for use by chip electrode  26 . Transformer  30  is a “step up” transformer in that the chip electrode  26  uses power having a voltage in the range of about 3000 to about 5000 volts and a frequency in the range of about 18 KHz to about 20 KHz. A series of electrical connectors  33 ,  34  and  36  are included within space  24  and are adapted to connect electric wires so as to provide electric power from source  32  ultimately to chip electrode  26 . These connectors are adapted to be easily removed to allow maintenance of generator  12 . A variable potentiometer  37  is provided and is used to control or adjust the ozone output of generator  12 .  
         [0029]    The top  38  of housing cover  18  includes a transparent window  40  through which the spa owner can visually observe chip electrode  26 , which glows when ozone is being produced. This glow diminishes over time as the chip electrode  26  becomes less effective in producing ozone. Thus, the spa owner, by observing chip electrode  26 , is provided with an indication as to when ozone generator  12  should be replaced. Atmospheric air from air inlet  27  is directed to come in contact with the chip electrode  26  to produce an ozone-containing gas which passes through housing outlet  28 .  
         [0030]    In addition, the housing cover  18  includes two end tabs  44  and  46 , each of which includes a through hole  48  through which screws can be passed to secure the ozone generator  12  in place in a suitable stationary position.  
         [0031]    Ozone generator  12  operates as shown in FIG. 1. Spa  50  includes a quantity of heated and circulating water  52 , for example, about  500  to  1000  gallons in volume. The spa  50  is equipped with a water circulating system in which water from the spa passes through spa outlet  54  into conduit  56  through spa pump  58 , spa filter  60  and spa heater  62 . Eventually the pumped, filtered and heated water is passed back to the spa  50  through return lines  64  and  66 .  
         [0032]    In the present invention, piping segment  70  (a part of conduit  56 ), downstream of heater  62  is divided to provide a bypass line, shown generally at  72 . Bypass line  72  includes a venturi assembly  74 , of generally conventional construction, which acts as an ozone adductor to suction ozone-containing gases from ozone generator  12  into bypass line  72 . The combined ozone-containing gases and water is returned to the main water conduit  56 , as shown in FIG. 1. A valve  78 , of conventional design, is located in water conduit  79  and can be adjusted to control the amount of water passed through bypass line  72 . The ozone-containing gases from ozone generator  12  are passed through housing outlet  28  and through ozone conduit  80  into the water flowing through bypass line  72 . The suction created by venturi assembly  74  causes ozone to flow through ozone conduit  80 .  
         [0033]    Ozone conduit  80  includes a water trap loop  82  located above venturi assembly  74 . This water trap loop  82  acts to protect the ozone generator from being exposed to water in line  56  and bypass line  72 . In addition, ozone conduit  80  includes a check valve  84 , of conventional construction, which effectively prevents fluid flow in the ozone conduit back to the ozone generator  12 . This feature inhibits, or even substantially prevents, any water from line  56  and bypass line  72  from entering ozone generator  12 .  
         [0034]    Apparatus  10  functions as follows. When it is desired to purify/sanitize the water  52  in spa  50 , operation of the pump  58  and ozone generator  12  is initiated. This causes water  52  to flow from spa  50  through line  56  into pump  58 , filter  60 , heater  62  into piping segment  70 . At this point, a minor amount, that is less than about 50%, of the total water passing through segment  70  is caused to flow through bypass line  72  and venturi assembly  74 . This causes ozone-containing gases being generated by ozone generator  12  to pass through ozone conduit  80  into the water in bypass line  72 , which is ultimately returned to the spa via return line  64  and  66 .  
         [0035]    Sufficient ozone is produced in accordance with the present invention to purify/sanitize the water  52  in spa  50  and/or to maintain such water in the desired purified/sanitized state.  
         [0036]    The present ozone generator provides a very compact structure which: is easily and conveniently mounted for use in a spa/jetted tub application; requires relatively reduced amounts of maintenance; is cost effective to produce and use; and effectively and efficiently produces ozone in sufficient quantities to perform the desired spa/jetted tub purification/sanitation service.  
         [0037]    While this invention has been described with respect to various specific examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that it can be variously practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 8