Patent Application
20090276951
This application relates to a bubble generation assembly, and in particular to a disposable bubble generation assembly for use with disposable liners within baths, such as foot baths. Although reference is made herein to “foot baths”, it should be understood that the bubble generation assembly can be applied to any of various baths, and in particular, to those where hygienic problems similar to those described below could arise.
In the spa industry, standards with regard to sanitary conditions being dictated by best practices as well as by regulation and legislation are becoming increasingly stringent. In California now, for example, it is the applicant's understanding that a tub used for manicures or pedicures must be drained after each use, filled with fresh water and a cleaning solution, then circulated for 15 minutes, and dried, all before the next spa customer can be accepted. A typical session with a spa client might be a half-hour. When the cleaning process must be employed, it will be appreciated that the spa owner or operator thus can only process one client per hour per spa, instead of two or perhaps three. The impact on profitability is obvious.
The need to maintain sanitary conditions is further complicated by air or water jets that are often desired in the basins/tubs. For example, water or air jets commonly have been permanently mounted and may have permanently installed pipes, to circulate water or air in the tub for therapy and relaxation. For example, there may be a pump installed adjacent to, remote from, or on the tub, with inlet and outlet pipes leading to the tub from the pump location. This can lead to problems of infection or other health issues due to the difficulty of adequately cleaning and sanitizing the pipes between uses. Buildup of algae, fungus, bacteria and mold can be problematic.
While there have been attempts to incorporate air or water flow through a disposable liner that can be installed in the tub/basin to maintain sanitary conditions, these known attempts are complex, expensive to make and difficult to use. As such, there is a need for an improved air flow system for use in spa basins/tubs.
In view of the above, it is an object of embodiments of the bubble generation assembly herein to address at least some of the problems relating to air flow in spa basins while maintaining appropriate sanitary conditions.
According to one aspect, there is provided a bubble generation assembly for a basin, the bubble generation assembly comprising: a base portion comprising a bottom surface, a raised edge, and a top surface comprising raised portions with a plurality of holes therein, wherein the base portion is configured to conform to a base of the basin and the bottom surface is configured to substantially conform to the basin; an extended portion, extending upwardly from the base portion and conforming to a wall of the basin, the extended portion comprising an extended raised portion; wherein the extended raised portion and the raised portions of the base portion are in communication to allow a flow of air from the extended portion to the holes in the raised portions of the base portion.
In a particular case, the bubble generation assembly may include a base portion wherein the base portion further includes a stopper portion extending downwardly and configured to act as a stopper in a drain of the basin.
In another case, the raised portions may comprise concentric circles arranged on the base portion.
In yet another case, the base portion and extended portion may comprise a top and a bottom that are joined during manufacturing.
In still yet another case, the bubble generation assembly may be formed from a flexible plastic. Further, the flexible plastic may be selected such that the extended portion is able to remain substantially upright conforming to the shape of the basin even when not otherwise supported.
In yet a further case, the bubble generation assembly may be configured to assemble with a liner installed in the basin.
It will be understood that the bubble generation assembly may be configured to be disposable.
Further details of the bubble generation assembly will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description and references to the drawings of specific embodiments.
Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
In the following description, various embodiments will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the bubble generation assembly may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described.
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The upper portion 155 of the bubble generation assembly 150 is configured to generally conform with and fit together with the bottom portion 160. The upper portion 155 include a base 188, an upper raised edge 190 and an upper extended portion 195. In addition, the upper portion 155 includes raised areas 200 that allow for the flow of air between the top portion 155 and the bottom portion 160. The raised areas 200 include a raised portion 205 running along the extended portion 195 that is connected to several concentric circles 210 on the base 188 of the top portion 155 for air flow. Further, the concentric circles 210 include several holes 215 through which air can pass out of the concentric circles 210 to provide the bubbling effect. It will be understood that the actual configuration of the raised areas 200 may be varied as long as there is a path for air to flow from the extended portion through to the holes 215, so that the air can be vented through the holes 215 into the basin 125. The upper portion 155 also includes an upper stopper portion 220 that is configured to join with the stopper portion 185 of the lower portion 160.
The upper portion 155 and lower portion 160 of the bubble generation assembly 150 may be assembled by various methods as known in the art such as adhesive, heat bonding, and similar methods of bonding plastic elements together. When assembled together the top portion 155 and bottom portion 160 form a base portion having a flat bottom surface and a top surface having raised portions with holes therein as well as an extended portion extending upwardly from the base portion and having an extended raised portion in communication with the raised portion on the base portion.
Upon completion of the spa treatment, the bubble generation assembly 150 can be removed by pulling up on the extended portion 175/195 to allow water to flow through the drain of the basin 125. Both the bubble generation assembly 150 and the liner 145 can then be removed and replaced with a new liner and bubble generation assembly for a subsequent client of the spa.
The configuration of the bubble generation assembly 150 provides a number of benefits in that the bubble generation assembly 150 provides the access for air into the basin without any need for a separate air inlet within the basin itself, acts as a stopper, allows for quick and efficient release of the water in the basin, and maintains sanitary conditions for each client of the spa.
Variations of embodiments described herein may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. It is expected that skilled persons will employ such variations as appropriate, and it is expected that the bubble generation assembly may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this application includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter described herein as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the application.
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/044,596, filed Apr. 14, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61044596 | Apr 2008 | US |
