Patent Application
20240268607
The present invention is generally related to grounding mat assemblies. More particularly, in one embodiment, the grounding mat assembly includes a grounding mat that is connected by a metallic lead to a residential water system. The residential water system can be used in conjunction with a bathtub, a shower, a sauna, hot tub, or the like. In this manner, the residential water system is used to supply water to the bathtub, a shower, a sauna, hot tub, or the like and the grounding mat is connected by a metallic lead to the residential water system so that the grounding mat can be “grounded” by the residential water system. For example, if a user is taking a shower, the user can stand on the grounding mat. Since the grounding mat is connected by the metallic lead to the bathtub faucet assembly, the shower head assembly, and/or the shower faucet assembly and the shower head assembly and/or the shower faucet assembly are grounded, the user becomes “grounded” through the use of the grounding mat while taking a shower. Also, since the grounding mat is not electrically connected to the residential water system, the user will not experience any possible electrical shocks while being “grounded” to the grounding mat. This is because very often the electrical grounding system of a home is not only connected to an electric rod(s) that is located outside of the house, the grounding system of a home is also grounded by being connected to the residential water supply system at point of entry to the house. However, the residential water supply system cannot be energized because it is always/permanently connected to the ground. Conversely, the electrical system grounding can be disconnected from the residential water system and/or the connection to the electric rod may become disconnected or damaged and thereby cause the electrical system to inadvertently shock someone.
Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it is known that contact with the Earth—whether being outside barefoot or indoors while being connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, autonomic dysfunction (ANS dysfunction), pain, poor sleep, disturbed heart rate vulnerability (HRV), hypercoagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease.
Prior systems and methods for grounding or “Earthing” utilize a grounding mat that is electrically connected to an outlet and the grounding mat. While these known systems and methods are suitable for some grounding applications, these systems and methods will not work for in wet, high temperature, or high humidity environment such as a bath tub, sauna, or shower because there is always a possibility that something can go wrong with grounding and it can be energized in a certain scenarios when there is some problem with existing electrical wiring in the location where the grounding mat is placed. For example, when the grounding is unintentionally or intentionally disconnected due to age or during a service repair, the user may experience an undesirable or even fatal electrical shock. Finally, it is known that some older houses may not even have electrical grounding at all.
Furthermore, it is known that another grounding method is grounding to a grounding rod, as discussed above. While this method does provide an adequate grounding system, this method is not practical because no one wants to run wires through the window to the grounding rod unless the home's electrical system is already connected to the grounding rod. Also, if the connection to the grounding rod becomes disconnected or damaged, there exists a possibility that an electrical shock can inadvertently occur.
It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill these and other needs in the grounding mat art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
The preferred grounding mat assembly, according to various embodiments of the present invention, offers the following advantages: ease of use; lightness in weight; durability; rust resistance; water resistance; heat resistance; UV resistance; the ability to provide a grounding surface for the user; reduced likelihood of the user experiencing an electrical shock; portability; slip resistance; ability to use the grounding mat in high temperature and/or high humidity environments; and ease of attachment to the existing residential water system. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these advantages are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known grounding mat systems.
The above-mentioned features and steps of the invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which:
Given the above background discussion, standing in a shower or a steam shower, taking a bath, or sitting in a sauna are some of the best ways for grounding for many people because these are the moments when people are not dressed and are not wearing any shoes. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a grounding mat assembly that could be connected to a residential water system that is associated with the shower, steam shower bathtub, sauna or the like. In one embodiment, the grounding mat assembly would be connected by a lead to a metal pipe from the residential water system or a metal coupling attached to the piping of the residential water system. In this manner, since the metal piping of the residential water system is partially located underground, the metal piping would provide the needed grounding for the grounding mat. However, if the residential water system does not utilize metal piping, the use of a metal coupling attached to the residential water system will still provide for an adequate grounding of the grounding mat.
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Regarding grounding mat 52, grounding mat 52 includes, in part, holes or openings 54 and ground connection 56. In one embodiment, grounding mat 52 is constructed of any suitable, durable, rust resistant, water resistant, heat resistant, high temperature resistant, UV resistant, and/or slip resistant material. Preferably, grounding mat 52 should be constructed so that it is able to resist high temperatures and high humidities so that unhealthy toxins will not be released from the grounding mat 52 when the grounding mat 52 is used in high temperature and high humidity environments such as saunas and/or steam showers.
In another embodiment, as discussed above, holes or openings 54 are constructed and located on grounding mat 52 so that liquids (water, moisture, perspiration, etc.) will readily flow away from an upper surface of grounding mat 52 so that the user can maintain an adequate connection between the part of the user's body that is contacting the grounding mat 52 and the grounding mat 52.
In another preferred embodiment, grounding mat 52 can be constructed so that there a multitude of small holes or openings 54 that resemble a “net-like” structure or other similar structure. In this manner, a “net-like” grounding mat structure can be used in high temperature, high humidity environments such as a traditional or infrared sauna. In particular, the “net-like” grounding mat 52 can be located under the user's feet and the grounding mat 52 can be located on top of a conventional sauna towel (not shown). Since most traditional and infrared saunas do not have water pipes, the grounding mat 52 can be connected to an electrical outlet (not shown). Because saunas do not have running water, the risk of electrical shock is very small. It is to be understood that in this example, since towels are readily available in a sauna and a water pipe is not easily accessible in a sauna, the grounding mat 52 can still function to “ground” or “Earth” the user by allowing the user to contact the grounding mat 52, while allowing the sweat from the user's body (mainly from the user's feet and legs) to go through the “net-like” grounding mat 52 and collect on the towel.
In still another embodiment, ground connection 56 is conventionally formed in grounding mat 52. As shown in
Finally, in another embodiment, lead 58, preferably, is constructed of any suitable, durable, rust resistant, electrically conductive, UV resistant, high strength, metallic material.
In order to construct grounding mat assembly 2, attention is directed to
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In order to use grounding mat assembly 2, attention is directed to
After the grounding mat 52 has been connected to the bathtub faucet assembly 10, shower faucet assembly 20, and/or shower head assembly 30 through metallic lead 58, the user then stands on the grounding pad 52 while taking a shower (or steam shower), sits on the grounding pad 52 while taking a bath, or places their feet on the grounding pad 52 while in a sauna. The interaction between the user's body contacting the grounding pad 52 will then transfer the energy from the ground into the body. This is due to the concept referred to as “Earthing or Grounding”, wherein contact with electrons on the Earth's surface by walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems transfers the energy from the ground into the user's body. The grounding effect between the user and the grounding mat 52 and the grounded connection between the grounding mat 52 and the water system 4 will cause the Earth's electrons to induce multiple physiological changes of clinical significance, including reduced pain, better sleep, a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic tone in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and a blood-thinning effect.
A unique aspect of the present invention is that if the water system 4 that is connected to the bathtub faucet assembly 10, shower faucet assembly 20, and/or shower head assembly 30 does not include metal piping, the grounding mat assembly 2 can still be used to provide the grounding effect. In particular, since the metallic lead 58 can be connected to a coupling 100 or 104 and the coupling 100 or 104 contacts the water located within the water supply pipes, the charged ions and impurities in the water can be used to transfer the energy from the ground into the body. This is because water is a very good conductor of electricity due to the presence of the charged ions and impurities commonly found in the water.
The preceding merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes and to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.
This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the figures of the accompanying drawing, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.
All patents, publications, scientific articles, web sites, and other documents and materials referenced or mentioned herein are indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and each such referenced document and material is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if it had been incorporated by reference in its entirety individually or set forth herein in its entirety.
All of the features disclosed in this specification may be combined in any combination. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is only an example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention. Thus, from the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the present invention and the present invention is not so limited.
The specific methods and compositions described herein are representative of preferred embodiments and are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Other objects, aspects, and embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this specification, and are encompassed within the spirit of the invention. It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, or limitation or limitations, which is not specifically disclosed herein as essential. Thus, for example, in each instance herein, in embodiments or examples of the present invention, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “containing”, etc. are to be read expansively and without limitation. The methods and processes illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in differing orders of steps, and that they are not necessarily restricted to the orders of steps indicated herein.
The terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intent in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalent of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as claimed. Thus, it will be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by various embodiments and/or preferred embodiments and optional features, any and all modifications and variations of the concepts herein disclosed that may be resorted to by those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention.
The invention has been described broadly and generically herein. Each of the narrower species and sub-generic groupings falling within the generic disclosure also form part of the invention. This includes the generic description of the invention with a proviso or negative limitation removing any subject matter from the genus, regardless of whether or not the excised material is specifically recited herein.
It is also to be understood that as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the term “X and/or Y” means “X” or “Y” or both “X” and “Y”, and the letter “s” following a noun designates both the plural and singular forms of that noun. In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, it is intended and those skilled in the art will recognize, that the invention embraces and is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.
Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description hereinabove is not intended to limit the invention.
Therefore, provided herein are new and improved grounding mat assembly. The preferred grounding mat assembly, according to various embodiments of the present invention, offers the following advantages: ease of use; lightness in weight; durability; rust resistance; water resistance; heat resistance; UV resistance; the ability to provide a grounding surface for the user; reduced likelihood of the user experiencing an electrical shock; portability; slip resistance; ability to use the grounding mat in high temperature and/or high humidity environments; and ease of attachment to the existing residential water system.
In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these advantages of ease of use, lightness in weight, durability, rust resistance, water resistance, heat resistance, UV resistance, the ability to provide a grounding surface for the user, reduced likelihood of the user experiencing an electrical shock, portability, slip resistance, ability to use the grounding mat in high temperature and/or high humidity environments, and ease of attachment to the existing residential water system are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known grounding mat systems.
This application is claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application 63/444,757, filed on Feb. 10, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure to the extent such a disclosure is not inconsistent with the disclosure herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63444757 | Feb 2023 | US |
