Patent Application
20190143351
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
This disclosure relates to shower and bath nozzles, systems containing them and methods of using them. In particular, this disclosure relates to hand-held devices, such as bathing wands, that can produce bubbles from a liquid saturated with gas. The devices can produce micro bubbles, which are desirable in bathing.
Various shower and bathing devices, such as shower heads, hand-held devices and the like are well known for controlling the direction or characteristics of fluid flow as it exits an enclosed chamber or pipe for bathing.
Some such devices are designed to cause liquid flowing through them (such as water) that is saturated with gas (such as air), to release gas in the form of micro bubbles. Micro bubbles are becoming popular in bathing. In a shower or bath, for example, micro bubbles in the water can produce a pleasing bathing experience. Micro bubbles in the water of a bath can appear like a white cloud, otherwise known as a “milk bath,” which is similarly pleasing and may have some hygienic or health benefits. Directing micro bubbles onto the body while bathing can also have beneficial effects or enhance the bathing experience.
While production of some micro bubbles may have some utility, it is preferred that the generation of micro bubbles be maximized otherwise, for example, bath water may have a relatively fewer micro bubbles and the appearance and/or effects may be correspondingly diminished, when bathing or directing micro bubbles onto the body. Maximizing the production of micro bubbles, however, typically requires rather complex nozzle systems that are therefore relatively expensive.
The use of micro-bubbles in therapy bathing has grown substantially over the past few years. However, because micro bubbles are generally dispersed into the bath water, the benefits provided by micro-bubbles are not generally available to the upper torso or the facial region unless the occupant submerges themselves in the bath water. This can be problematic for walk-in bath consumers, as well as those with limited mobility.
It would be advantageous if a relatively simple device could be designed to compete with more complex and therefore more expensive designs and yet match or substantially match not only the degree of micro bubble production, but also be in a format or construction that is easy to use.
Due to this need, a hand-held shower wand capable of dispersing micro-bubbles without a typical spray pattern or water pressure is needed. The design should be contemporary, but universal, allowing for the widest flexibility when paring with other bathing hardware. Ultimately, the shower wand must produce micro-bubbles substantially equal to those produced in the tub itself.
This disclosure provides micro bubble bathing devices, particularly hand-held devices, suitable for generating micro bubbles, comprising a chamber having an inlet port and an elongate outlet port, the inlet port communicating with an inlet or proximal end, and the outlet port being adjacent the distal end. The device is generally elongate and can be in the form of a cylindrical housing. The device can have a region between the inlet or proximal end on the one hand, and between the outlet or distal end on the other hand that provides a hand grip area. This structure can cause a pressure drop in liquid traveling from the inlet end to the outlet port. This disclosure provides such nozzles and nozzle systems comprising them, including those that have only one outlet port. The outlet port can be an elongate slit or slot.
A discharge channel or outflow passage can be located in a generally tubular structure having a central longitudinal axis. The nozzle or wand can have a plurality of discharge outlets, but it is preferred to have a single discharge outlet or outlet port. Preferably the discharge channel or outflow passage comprises an internal passage in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet.
The device of this disclosure may comprise an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end. The device may have a wall or walls extending between the proximal and distal ends and forming, for example, a generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal, central axis.
Preferably, the body of the device is generally cylindrical and is formed by a wall extending between the distal end and the proximal end.
The outlet is typically located in the wall. The outlet port can be offset with respect to the longitudinal axis, for example by being located in the wall of the device near the distal end of the device.
The hand held section or position can be located between the inlet or proximal end and the outlet and can be formed by such a cylindrical wall. Walls of other shapes, such as square, rectangular, polygonal outer cross section may be used.
The distal end of the body of the device may comprise a transverse wall. The wall may, in use, act to cause water traveling through the device to be deflected back and through the outlet. This may enhance the production of desirably small micro bubbles.
The proximal end may have a fitting for connection to a supply of water saturated with air, which may be in the form of conventional piping or more preferably a flexible tube.
The device may have at least one outlet adjacent the distal end and preferably has a single such outlet. The outlet can be formed in the walls that form the body of the device. The outlet is typically an elongate slot or slit, which may extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis along the wall of the device or may extend generally perpendicular to that axis, for example at least partially around the circumference or outer periphery of the external wall of the device.
The dimensions of the elongate slot or slit may be chosen so as to ensure that water leaves the device with sufficient velocity so as to be projected therefrom.
The device is provided with at least one internal flow constriction, preferably one such internal constriction. The constriction may be in the form of a relatively small hole or orifice which is preferably located on the longitudinal axis and may be formed in a wall extending between the interior walls of the device. This constriction thereby can close off the interior of the body of the device, except for the hole, and thereby form a first flow chamber between the flow constriction wall and the inlet a second flow chamber downstream between the flow constriction wall and the outlet. The constriction may be adjacent the inlet to the device.
In use, the constriction hole acts to generate micro bubbles in water saturated with air that may be supplied to the device, such as via the proximal end, opening or inlet. The hole can be circular.
The ratio between the cross sectional area of the outlet and the cross sectional area of the restriction passage can be from about 20:1 to about 30:1, for example about 23:1
Preferably, there is no other flow constriction downstream of the internal flow constriction until the outlet.
The device can be about 6 to 12 inches long, but preferably is an intermediate value of that range at about 7 to 9 more preferably about 7 to 8 inches long so as to provide adequate length for the device to be hand-held and accommodate the outlet.
The external diameter or width of the device can be from about ¾ inch to about 2 inches, but preferably is about 1 inch.
The outlet slot that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device can be about 1 to 3 inches long preferably about 2 to 3 inches long. That slot may be about 16th to 8th of an inch wide. Alternatively, the outlet slot can be generally perpendicular or transverse to the longitudinal axis, for example around a portion of a circumferential or other shaped outer wall. Such a slot may be 1 to 1¾ inches long, preferably about 1 to 1½ inches long.
The ratio of the length to the width of the outlet, in the form of an elongate slot or slit, can be from about 30:1 to about 50:1, especially in the case of an outlet extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of its device; or preferably about 40:1.
The constriction hole can be about ⅛ inch to about 3/16 inch in diameter, preferably about 1/16 inch to about ⅛ inch in diameter.
The constriction hold or orifice acts as a venturi in use, because of the decrease in cross-section of the interior of the device through which the water/air mixture flows. The same effect can be achieved with a tube that is substantially smaller than the internal cross-section or bore of the device.
This disclosure provides baths or showers incorporating at least one micro bubble device disclosed herein, such as a walk in bath.
This disclosure provides a method of making micro bubbles which comprises supplying water saturated with air to the micro bubble device disclosed herein.
Some preferred features of this disclosure will now be more particularly described by reference in and to the following drawings, which are only exemplary of the disclosure.
Pipe 108 is a return pipe for recycling water from the bath 100 driven by a pump 110. Pump 110 draws water past an inlet 111 to the system that is open to a supply of gas such as air and has a restriction feature 112 to regulate the amount of air drawn into the system.
Pump 110 draws water and air into a mixing tank 113 where, in a manner known in the art, air is caused to be dissolved in or to saturate the water for supply along pipe 109 to the bath 100. Alternatively, air can be supplied directly into mixing chamber 113.
A micro bubble device 114 of the present invention is provided adjacent to or mounted to bath 100 and comprises an inlet end 115 and an outlet end 116.
Inlet end 115 is attached to a conduit 117, preferably a flexible conduit, that is connected to water supply pipe 109.
Adjacent outlet end 116, of micro bubble device 114, is provided an elongate outlet port 115 in the form of a slit or slot.
Typically, the devices herein are formed with a single outlet port, such as 307.
In use, a supply of water having air dissolved therein or saturated with air is supplied to inlet 406. The water enters an inlet chamber section 407 and circulates therein before leaving the chamber by means of hole 404. Micro bubbles are caused to be generated from the water by micro bubble generator 403 and 404.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62585496 | Nov 2017 | US |
