Patent Application
20070050903
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with saunas and other enclosure assemblies preferably used for personal care. More particularly, the invention pertains to such enclosures having at least certain panels connected using structure including magnetic coupler bodies operable to interconnect the panels by means of magnetic attraction. In this fashion, the enclosures can be rapidly and easily constructed, and not exhibit threaded fasteners or other unsightly external connection hardware. Additionally, internal infrared heaters can be connected to the enclosure panels using magnetic coupler bodies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dry saunas are becoming increasingly popular as personal accessories in modern homes. These saunas are typically relatively small in size (housing from 1-6 individuals), and are designed to deliver on-demand healthful dry heat therapy. In order to lessen the cost of such saunas, some manufacturers provide kits which can be assembled on-site by a homeowner. Generally, these sauna kits make use of threaded fasteners, brackets, or other conventional connection hardware in order to interconnect the sauna components, and especially the upright side panels thereof.
While these constructions are accepted and of long standing, they are deficient in that the connection structure employed is visible, either from the exterior of the sauna or its interior, or both. This detracts from the appearance of the finished saunas which are made of high-quality wood such as cedar.
In order to increase the salability of homeowner-constructed saunas and other personal care enclosures, it is important that they be relatively simple to construct and install, and aesthetically pleasing. While some prior sauna kits using conventional connection hardware meet these goals to a limited extent, there remains a need in the art for improved personal enclosure designs which more adequately address consumer demand.
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above and provides personal enclosures such as saunas which essentially eliminate the use of visible connection hardware, while also being simple to construct.
Broadly speaking, a first aspect of the present invention concerns an enclosure assembly comprising a base panel, a plurality of upright panels extending upwardly from the base panel, and a top panel positioned atop the upright panels. The panels cooperatively define a personal care enclosure sized to simultaneously house no more than about six persons. The enclosure assembly further includes connection structure between at least certain of the panels and including complemental magnetic coupler bodies operable to magnetically interconnect the certain panels. In preferred forms, the couplers are embedded in the ends of the upright panels and oriented for direct, face-to-face contact.
In another aspect of the present invention, a sauna comprises a base panel, a plurality of upright panels extending upwardly from the base panel, and a top panel surmounting the upright panels. The panels cooperatively define a sauna enclosure. The sauna also includes at least one sauna heater operable to heat the sauna enclosure. Yet further, the sauna includes connection structure between at least certain of the panels and including complemental magnetic coupler bodies operable to magnetically interconnect the certain panels.
Another aspect of the present invention concerns a sauna comprising a base panel, a plurality of upright panels extending upwardly from the base panel, and a top panel surmounting the upright panels. The panels cooperatively define a sauna enclosure. The sauna also includes a sauna heater operable to heat the sauna enclosure. Additionally, the sauna includes mounting structure securing the sauna heater to at least one of the panels. The mounting structure comprises a magnetic coupling structure magnetically mounting the sauna heater to the at least one of the panels.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing Figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.
Turning now to the drawings, a sauna 20 is illustrated in
It is noted that the heaters 32,34,36 (and others as identified below) are preferably configured to emit far infrared radiation (“FIR”) within the sauna 20 so as to provide both heating and desirable radiation treatment. More preferably, the heaters include carbon-black-containing planar heating elements. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that such arrangement provides a dry sauna with FIR treatment. However, it is initially noted that certain aspects of the present invention are not limited to such a sauna (e.g., certain principles apply to other types of saunas, such as steam saunas) or heaters (e.g., traditional coil heaters, etc.).
Returning to the illustrated embodiment, the base panel 22 is preferably fabricated from wood (e.g., cedar) and has a slatted floor 38 as well as an outermost decorative footed perimeter 40 (e.g., formed of synthetic resin material). The base 22 is designed to present a continuous peripheral groove 42 between floor 38 and perimeter 40. Also, the base 22 has a laterally extending recess 44 which houses a drop-in FIR heater 46. A wooden grating 48 is located within the recess 44 and covers the heater 46.
The upright panels 24 in this embodiment include a front panel 50, left hand panel 52, rear panel 54, and right hand panel 56. The resulting enclosure 28 is substantially square in plan. As previously noted, however, other upright wall assemblies could employed, giving a variety of different enclosure footprints and shapes.
Front panel 50 preferably is fabricated largely from wood and includes a lapped fascia wall 58 and a similarly slatted interior wall 60. A central doorway 62 is provided in the front panel and a hingedly mounted door 64 (preferably glass) is mounted within the doorway. The butt ends of the front panel 50 are defined by vertical, solid wood risers 66,68, each of the latter carrying a pair of vertically spaced apart magnetic coupler bodies 70,72. Finally, external sauna control panel 74 is housed within front panel 50 to allow the user to control the operation of sauna 20.
The left and right hand panels 52,56 are essentially mirror images of each other and each preferably is fabricated from wood to present lapped exterior wall 76 and a similar lapped interior wall 78. The ends of the panels 52,56 are defined by vertical risers 80 and outboard L-shaped vertical trim pieces 82, and an uppermost horizontal top board 83 extends between the risers. As best seen in
Each of the panels 52,56 has a pair of vertically spaced apart magnetic coupler bodies 92,94 located just inboard of each of the trim pieces 82. Additionally, the internal risers 90 each have a total of three embedded vertically spaced apart magnetic coupler bodies 96,98,100. Finally, each panel 52,56 has electrical power cableway openings 101 in the top and bottom thereof which are important for purposes to be made clear.
Rear panel 54 preferably is formed of wood and has a lapped exterior wall 102, a lapped interior wall 104 and endmost vertical risers 106. The risers 106 each have a pair of vertically spaced apart magnetic coupler bodies 108,110 embedded therein. The rear panel 54 also has a vertical, substantially rectangular recess 112 defined by internal risers 114,116 as well as baseboard 118 and a top board (not shown). The risers 116 have magnetic coupler bodies 96,98,100 embedded therein, in exactly the same fashion as the previously described risers 90 forming a part of the left and right hand panel recesses 84. Upper and lower electrical cableway openings 120 are also provided.
Top panel 24 includes an uppermost roof 122 and a peripheral skirt 124. Referring to
As noted, the panels 52,54,56 each support a respective heater 32, 34,36 within the corresponding recesses 84 and 112, namely side panel FIR heaters 140 and rear panel FIR heater 142. These FIR heaters are identical except for the size difference, and each includes an appropriately dimensioned frame 144 made up of vertical members 146 and spaced apart crosspieces 148. The frames 144 are preferably formed of wood (e.g., cedar). Moreover, each frame 144 supports a thin, planar, sheet-like FIR heating element 150, as previously explained. It will also be seen that the endmost vertical members 146 have three vertically spaced apart magnetic coupler bodies 152,154,156.
All of the magnetic coupler bodies described above, namely bodies 70,72,92-100,108,110 and 152-156, are preferably of the same physical construction, except for size difference.
The construction of sauna 20 is a simple and straightforward proposition, which is greatly facilitated through use of the previously described magnetic coupler bodies. Moreover, use of this type of interconnection substantially eliminates unsightly fasteners, brackets and other connection hardware which can detract from the aesthetic appearance of the finished sauna.
Specifically, in the first step, the base panel 22 is appropriately positioned, and the front panel 50 is inserted into the forward lateral run of groove 42. While the front panel is held in place, the left hand panel 52 is positioned within the left hand run of groove 42 in such fashion that the forward trim piece 82 covers the joint between the front and left hand panels 50,52 (see
The rear panel 54 is next inserted into the rear run of the groove 42, again in a manner such that the rearmost trim piece 82 of panel 52 covers the joint. Furthermore, the magnetic coupler bodies 108,110 of rear panel 54 mate in direct face-to-face contact with the rear set of magnetic coupler bodies 92,94 carried by the panel 52.
The right hand panel 56 is then installed in the same fashion, so that the trim pieces 82 cover the joints between right hand panel and front and rear panels 50,54. The fore-and-aft sets of magnetic coupler bodies 92,94 carried by the right hand panel 56 magnetically couple with the couplers 70,72 and 108,110 of the front and rear panels (see
Appropriate electrical wiring is fed through base panel 22 and the panel cableways 101,120 for purposes of providing electrical power to the heaters 30 and 32, as well as to the control panel 74 and accessories 128-134. At this point, the individual FIR heaters 140 and 142 are installed. This involves making a suitable electrical connection with the heaters and pressing them into the corresponding recesses 84 and 112. During this installation, the magnetic coupler bodies 96-100 of the panel risers come into direct face-to-face contact with the coupler bodies 152-156 carried by the panel frames 144. As such, the heaters are magnetically coupled to the associated panels, again with the complete avoidance of threaded fasteners or other types of conventional connection hardware.
The final installation step involves placement of top panel 26. This is accomplished by simply pressing panel 26 downwardly over the upright panels 24, i.e., with the upper ends of the panels 50-56 being inserted into groove 136. No further connection of the panel 26 is required. Of course, the accessories 128-134 are connected to the sauna wiring.
The saunas of the invention can be modified in a number of ways. For example, in some instances it is desirable to install mechanical connection structure between the upright panels 50-56, but without creating undesirable visible evidence of such connection structure. As illustrated in
The saunas may also be provided with a conventional bench or other types of seating. To this end, the panels 52,56 may be equipped with vertical and horizontal wooden mounts 172,174, allowing a vertical kickplate and horizontal bench (not shown) to be installed. Of course, other seating assemblies may be used.
While the invention is particularly concerned with saunas, the principles thereof are not so limited. That is to say, use of magnetic connection hardware to effect coupling of the wall components can be adapted for other types of personal care enclosures, for example, wet saunas and dressing facilities such as cabanas.
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:
