Bathing chamber

• US 4,130,120 A
• Filed: 04/11/1977
• Issued: 12/19/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Kohler, Herbert V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/786,067
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 128/373, 128/24.2, 128/66, 128/371, 128/366, 128/395
• US Class Current: 607/80
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2009/0035 with cabin for the whole body
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/061 Artificial hot-air baths
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/06 Artificial hot-air or cold-air baths; Steam or gas baths or douches, e.g. sauna or Finnish baths artificial climate rooms A61G10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0668 Apparatus adapted for operation in a moist environment, e.g. bath or shower
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0614 Tanning

Abstract

A bathing chamber is shown having an interior in which the user may lie in the prone position. The chamber has a variety of conditioning elements such as heat and sun lamps, shower sprays and warm air blowers that are sequenced in operation to provide a number of different environmental conditions within the chamber during a single bathing period.

Claims

1. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a ceiling, sides and an entry door with a lower sill extending along one lengthwise side;

a decking alongside said lower sill that extends across the length and width of the enclosure to support a user in prone and sitting positions with freedom of movement thereon;

an array of downwardly directed lamps associated with said ceiling and disposed above said decking to radiate downward with substantially uniform coverage of the decking; and

water sprays associated with said ceiling disposed above said decking to substantially uniformly shower the area of the decking.

2. A bathing chamber as in claim 1 having a control circuit with switching means for automatically sequencing the operation of said lamps and water sprays, and such switching means including individually preadjustable timing means for each of the lamps and water sprays.

3. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

an elongate enclosure having a ceiling and sides with an entry door along one lengthwise side;

a decking extending across the length of the enclosure to support a user in a prone position;

an array of downwardly directed lamps associated with said ceiling and disposed above said decking to radiate downward with substantially uniform coverage of the decking;

water sprays associated with said ceiling disposed above said decking to substantially uniformly shower the area of the decking;

a steam generator with an inlet disposed beneath the surface of said decking; and

air circulating openings with blower means entering upon said enclosure from opposite ends in the elongate direction at a level above said decking to direct air flow over a user in said prone position.

4. A bathing chamber as in claim 3 having a control circuit with switching means for automatically sequencing the operation of said lamps, sprays, steam generator and blower means and also having adjustable timer means for each thereof.

5. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

an enclosure;

a surface extending across the interior of said enclosure upon which a user may recline, sit and move about;

fluid emitting means entering upon said enclosure that directs fluid over said surface;

lamp sources within said enclosure directed toward said surface to radiate over the same;

air circulating means having openings with associated blower means entering upon said enclosure and positioned to direct air across said surface;

control means for individually operating said fluid emitting means, said lamp sources, and said air circulating means; and

switching in said control means that successively activates first said lamp sources, then said fluid emitting means and lastly said air circulating means.

6. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. an elongate drain flooring elevated above ground level with a water drainage outlet;

b. a base framework supporting said drain flooring in said elevated position;

c. a front panel extending along a lengthwise side of said flooring and rising from ground level to a height above said flooring, with an entry door positioned above said flooring;

d. a rear panel extending along the opposite lengthwise side of said flooring rising upward from said flooring to present a wall facing said front panel.

e. a pair of end panels rising upward from the ends of said flooring and extending between the front and rear panels to present a four sided enclosure;

f. a ceiling enclosing the top of the enclosure to form an enclosed chamber with said flooring and said front, rear and end panels;

g. a deck overlying said flooring to receive a person in prone position;

h. a steam injector entering said chamber and opening therein at a point beneath the upper surface of said deck;

i. air blowers with outlets opening into said chamber through said end panels at a level above said deck;

j. water sprays in said chamber that are directed downward toward said deck; and

k. lamps located in said chamber that are directed downward toward said deck.

7. A bathing chamber as in claim 6 with said water sprays and said lamps being located in the ceiling of said enclosure.

8. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. a base stand for resting upon a ground surface;

b. a drainage tray forming a chamber flooring supported upon said base stand at an elevated position, and a length and width to accept a person;

c. a decking overlaying said flooring upon which a person may move about;

d. chamber walls rising upward from said flooring;

e. a ceiling extending between said chamber walls overlying said flooring;

f. doors along one side of said flooring with a bottom sill at the level of and extending alongside said decking;

g. a plurality of chamber conditioning means arranged in said chamber to provide illumination, shower, and drying air, each means having an electrical control; and

h. a control circuit for operating said conditioning means in timed relation to each other.

9. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. a base stand;

b. a chamber flooring supported upon said base stand at an elevated position, and with a length and a width to accept a person in a prone position;

c. chamber walls rising upward from said flooring;

d. a chamber ceiling;

e. doors along one side of said chamber;

f. a light transmitting panel in one of said chamber walls allowing light passage therethrough;

g. a steam generator with a steam inlet entering said chamber;

h. blower means with air inlets in said chamber walls at a level to circulate air across the body surface of a person prone on said flooring;

i. a bank of lamps in said chamber directed toward said flooring;

j. shower nozzles mounted in said chamber that shower said flooring; and

k. a control circuit adapted to sequentially operate said steam generator, blower means, lamps and shower nozzles.

10. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. a base stand including a framework for resting upon a ground surface;

b. an elongate chamber flooring supported upon said base stand of configuration to accept a person in a prone position;

c. chamber rear and end walls rising upwardly from said flooring;

d. said rear and end walls having reinforcing along the outside surfaces thereof that extend downward beneath said flooring for attachment to said base stand;

e. a ceiling extending between said rear and end walls with sloping panels;

f. doors along the side of said flooring opposite said rear wall;

g. a front panel framing said doors and masking said side walls, ceiling, and base stand;

h. a steam generator beneath said flooring with a steam inlet entering said chamber;

i. blower means with warm air inlets at a level above said flooring to blow air across the body surface of a person in said chamber;

j. a bank of lamps in the upper region of the chamber directed downward to radiate uniformly over said flooring; and

k. water spray nozzles mounted in said sloping ceiling panels that shower said flooring.

11. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. a base stand including a framework for resting upon a ground surface;

b. a drainage tray forming a chamber flooring supported upon said base stand at an elevated position, said tray being of elongate configuration with a length and a width to accept a person in a prone position;

c. chamber rear and end walls rising upwardly from said drainage tray;

d. said rear and end walls having reinforcing along the outside surfaces thereof that extends downward beneath said drainage tray and is attached to said base stand;

e. a ceiling extending between said rear and end walls overlying said drainage tray, with inwardly and upwardly sloping panels that peak toward a horizontal central panel running along the lengthwise ridge of said ceiling;

f. sliding doors along a lengthwise of said drainage tray to complete an enclosed chamber with said tray, side and rear walls, and ceiling;

g. a front panel framing said doors that extends beyond said side walls and down to a flooring to skirt said base stand;

h. a deck overlying said drainage tray adapted to support a person in a prone position;

i. a steam generator beneath said drainage tray and within said base stand, and having a steam inlet entering said chamber;

j. warm air inlets in said side walls at a level above said deck at a height substantially aligned with the upper body surface of a person prone on said deck;

k. a bank of ultra violet lamps spaced lengthwise of said chamber in said ceiling central panel directed downward to radiate upon said deck;

l. a plurality of infra-red heat lamps in each of said sloping ceiling panels directed downward to radiate upon said deck;

m. water spray nozzles mounted in said sloping ceiling panels interdigited with said heat lamps in an array that uniformly showers said deck; and

n. a light transparent panel in a wall of the chamber with illumination on the outside thereof.

12. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

a. a flooring at about knee-height of a length to receive a person in prone position;

b. chamber walls rising upward from said flooring to permit a person to move about within the chamber;

c. a ceiling extending between said chamber walls and overlying said flooring at a height to permit sitting or prone positions within the chamber;

d. said ceiling and walls being individually formed with abutting surfaces forming joints therebetween for assembly thereof into said chamber;

e. a front panel extending in front of said flooring, walls and ceiling to mask the same, and having a framed opening with a bottom ledge at the height of about that of said flooring;

f. a door closing said opening with a bottom sill at a level of about that of said flooring; and

g. a plurality of conditioning means arranged in said chamber.

13. In a bathing chamber the combination comprising:

an enclosed chamber having a flooring, walls and ceiling within which a user can recline or move about, said chamber including a front panel with a door operable from both within and without the chamber;

a warm air blower having an outlet directed into said chamber for moving heated air across the body of a user of the chamber;

a vent for said chamber to relieve pressure build-up within the chamber;

a plurality of conditioning means within said chamber that provide a variety of bathing conditions; and

automatic control means with a control panel outside said chamber that provides individual preselection and duration of operation of each of said blower and said conditioning means in a successive operation thereof.