Spa construction with integrated spa side and inside control system

• US 4,780,917 A
• Filed: 01/05/1987
• Issued: 11/01/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James W. Hancock
• Original Assignee: James W. Hancock
• Inventors: Hancock, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sholl, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US07/000,623
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 4/492, 4/493, 4/496, 4/507, 4/508, 4/509, 4/541-544
• US Class Current: 4/541.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0066 with low-voltage switching, e.g. using optical isolators, isolated transformers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1207 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/02 Bathing devices for use with gas-containing liquid, or liquid in which gas is led or generated, e.g. carbon dioxide baths A61H33/6026 takes precedence

Abstract

An exteriorly installed therapeutic spa has a water circulation loop, including an electric heater for heating the water, an electric motor-driven pump for circulating the water at low and high speeds and electric motor-operated blower for injecting air into the water. Control is effected by an in-house control panel within a residence, a spa side control unit mounted on the spa shell for access by the spa occupant and a main control panel at an equipment area. The control system incorporates a low voltage transformer and rectifier to provide low voltage DC. The spa side control unit utilizes a plurality of low voltage hermetically sealed switches under manual knob control, acting in parallel with in-house control panel low voltage switches. Low voltage relays responsive to low voltage switch operation control operation of the equipment within the equipment area under thermostat control with high voltage override manual switches at the main control panel. Vacation switches within the house and at the main control panel selectively disable at least the in-house switches and insures low flow velocity circulation of the water and heating of the same responsive to freeze thermostat switch closure.

Claims

1. In a spa for installation exterior of a residence or like building and including a spa shell holding water, an under water spa light, water piping opening to the interior of the shell and forming a water circulating loop, an electric heater within said loop for heating circulating water, electric motor-driven pump means within said loop for circulating said water through said circulating loop piping at low and high speed, an air manifold within said spa for injecting air into the water within said spa shell, an electric motor-operated blower connected to said air manifold for supplying compressed air thereto, said electric motor-driven pump means and said electric motor-operated blower being within an equipment area in the vicinity of said spa shell, a source of electrical power for said heater, said pump means and said blower, thermostat means for sensing the temperature of the water, and control means responsive to said thermostat means for controlling the connection of said electrical power source to said heater, said pump means and said blower, the improvement wherein;

said control means comprises an in-house control panel within said residence, a spa side control unit mounted to said spa shell for access by an occupant of said spa and a main control panel at said equipment area, said electrical power source is a high voltage AC source, said main control panel comprises a lower voltage transformer for stepping down said high voltage AC to low voltage AC, a low voltage circuit means including said low voltage transformer, rectifier means for changing said low voltage AC to low voltage DC, said spa side control unit comprises a plurality of low voltage hermetically sealed switches for selectively energizing the circulating pump motor, said blower and said underwater spa light, and exterior, manual control means for manually operating said spa side control panel low voltage switches, said in-house control panel comprises a plurality of manually operated low voltage switches connected in parallel with the low voltage switches of said spa side control panel for operating said electric heater, said electric motor-driven pump means, said electric motor-operated blower, and said spa light independent of said spa side control panel low voltage switches;

wherein, within said equipment area, said low voltage circuit means comprises at least one thermostat-operated relay for controlling the flow of high voltage AC current to said heater and a plurality of low voltage relays including relay coils, low voltage contacts and switchable high voltage AC contacts to operatively connect said high voltage AC power source to said heater, said electric motor-driven pump means, said blower and said spa light, respectively;

wherein said in-house control panel manually operated switches are connected across respective relay coils of said low voltage DC relays for independently energizing said low voltage relays, said spa further comprises vacation switch means for selectively disabling at least said in-house switch means for operating said low voltage relays and wherein, said main control panel further comprises a series of manual, high voltage override switches in parallel with said spa side and said in-house low voltage switch means for connecting said high voltage AC directly across said electric motor-driven pump means, said blower and said spa light for overriding said low voltage DC switch means.

2. The spa as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a time switch including a timer motor electrically connected across said high voltage AC power source and continuously energized thereby, said time switch including normally open time switch contacts for connecting said electric motor-driven pump means to said high voltage AC power source and operable in response to energization of said timer motor for periodic closing of said normally open time switch contacts such that irrespective of operation of any of said spa side and in-house low voltage switch means, and said high voltage manual override switches of said main control panel, circulation of water through said filter means may be effected.

3. The spa as claimed in claim 2 wherein;

said high voltage manual override switches comprise a manual pump ON/OFF switch having a first set of normally closed contacts in series with said normally open time switch contacts,

said spa further comprises at least one freeze thermostat connected in series with said electric motor-driven pump means and across said high voltage AC power source and wherein said freeze thermostat comprises normally open contacts, and

wherein said manual pump ON/OFF switch includes a second set of normally open contacts connected in a circuit bypassing said at least one freeze thermostat whereby, switching of said manual pump ON/OFF switch from OFF to ON permits energization of said electric motor-driven pump means irrespective of the condition of said at least one freeze thermostat.

4. The spa as claimed in claim 3, wherein said manual override switches of said main control panel further comprise a manual pump low-high switch including a first set of normally closed contacts connecting said manual pump ON/OFF and said manual low-high switches in series, wherein said electric motor-driven pump means comprises a pump motor having separate high speed and low speed windings, wherein said manual pump low-high switch normally closed contacts are connected in a circuit bypassing said at least one freeze thermostat and in series with the low speed windings of the pump motor, and wherein, said manual pump low-high normally open switch contacts are connected in series with said pump motor high speed windings and across said high voltage AC source.

5. The spa as claimed in claim 3, wherein the circuit including said manual pump ON/OFF switch, said at least one freeze thermostat and said pump motor low speed winding across said high voltage AC power source comprises normally closed low voltage relay contacts of said low voltage switch means of said spa side control panel and wherein said spa further comprises a first set of normally closed high voltage contacts for said low voltage relay of said spa side control panel, low voltage switch means connected to said low voltage switch means of said spa side control panel and second high voltage normally closed switch contacts of a low voltage relay connected to a separate low voltage switch of said spa side control panel low voltage switch means, whereby independent of said manual pump ON/OFF switch and manual pump low-high voltage switches at said control panel, said pump motor may be operated at high speed or low speed by selectively closing said first and second low voltage switches of said spa side control panel.

6. The spa as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a main circuit breaker within said main control panel for selectively connecting and disconnecting said high voltage AC power source at said main control panel, said main circuit breaker comprising relay means including normally open switch contacts, a relay coil for closing said normally open main switch contacts upon energization thereof, a magnetic door switch connected across said main circuit breaker relay coil having normally open contacts, and a permanent magnet mounted to the door of said main control panel and responsive to closure of said door and movement into proximity of said magnetic door switch normally open contacts for causing closing of said normally open magnetic door switch contacts and for closing said main circuit breaker contacts upon energization of said main circuit breaker relay coil.

7. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vacation switch means comprises a normally open first vacation switch in series with a primary winding of said step down transformer and a normally open, manually operated second vacation switch within said in-house control panel in series with all of said in-house manualy operated switches on said in-house control panel and said spa side control panel switch means such that, opening of either said first or said second vacation switches terminates control of said heater, said pump motor, said blower and said spa light through both said spa side control panel and said in-house control panel.

8. The spa as claimed in claim 4, wherein, said manual high voltage override switches within said main control panel include a normally open manual blower switch connected in series with said blower and across said high voltage AC power source and a normally open manual light switch in series with said spa light and across said high voltage AC power source for independently, selectively energizing said spa light and said blower, irrespective of the condition of the low voltage control switches at said spa side control panel and said in-house control panel.

9. The spa as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a latching relay in parallel with said spa light, said latching relay including a relay coil and switch contacts responsive to coil energization for alternatively connecting and disconnecting a light dimmer in series with said spa light to place said spa light directly at two distinctly different levels of illumination.

10. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spa side control panel comprises a remote bulb thermostat including a thermostat switch having normally open contacts in series with a first relay coil of a first low voltage relay having a set of normally open contacts for effecting, upon closure of those contacts, energization of said heater and wherein said thermostat switch has normally open thermostat switch contacts in series with said relay coil of said first relay connected across said low voltage power source, said remote bulb thermostat includes means for adjusting the temperature effecting closure of said normally open thermostat switch contacts and manual means for adjusting the temperature at which the normally open thermostat switch contacts close and a thermal bulb positioned in proximity to the inlet side of the said piping defining said water circulation loop and being operatively connected to said thermostat switch controls.

11. The spa as claimed in claim 8, wherein said spa side control panel further comprises first and second microswitch arrays of multiple microswitches and manual means for selectively changing the state of individual microswitches of said microswitch arrays, and wherein, said multiple microswitches of said first and second microswitch arrays constitute, for each array at least two microswitches connected in series with second and third, and fourth and fifth low voltage relays respectively, having normally open contacts in series with the high voltage AC power source and across said pump motor means of said blower and said spa light and in parallel with said manual power ON/OFF switch, said manual pump high-low switch, said manual blower switch and said manual light switch at said main control panel.

12. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein sap side control panel comprises first, second and third sets of manually operated switches in series with relay coils of respective low voltage relays and connected across said low voltage power source, said low voltage relays include normally open, high voltage and low voltage switch contacts, said high voltage circuit includes a plurality of normally open contacts, thermostats mounted within said circulation loop connected in series with the normally open high voltage contacts, respectively, and across a relay coil of a heater relay having normally open contacts connected in series with said high voltage AC power source such that, in response to selective manual operation of selected ones of said low voltage manually operated normally open switches in series with said high voltage thermostats respectively and dependent upon the temperature of the water circulating within said circulation loop, the normally open contacts of said heater relay close to place said heater coil across said high voltage AC power source.

13. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said in-house control panel includes manually operated switches connected in parallel with the normally open switches of said switch means of said spa side control unit and across the low voltage power source for selectively energizing the relay coils of said low voltage relays.

14. The spa as claimed in claim 12, wherein said spa side control unit includes first and second LED lights and said heater relay includes a second set of contacts connected in series with a first and second LED light.

15. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said heater includes an electrical resistance element connected across said high voltage AC power source and in series with normally open contacts of a contactor relay, said contactor relay includes a relay coil connected in series with normally open first set of contacts of said heater relay and wherein, said normally open set of contacts of said heater relay are in turn connected in series with a normally open pressure switch responsive to flow of water to be heated within said water circulation loop, and a normally open ON/OFF switch.

16. The spa as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spa side control unit comprises a rectangular box-like housing having an open face, a cover overlying the open face of said housing and being sealably connected thereto to seal off the interior thereof, at least first and second microswitch arrays fixedly mounted within the interior of said housing, said microswitch arrays each comprising a vertical stack of microswitches having spring biased, retractable operating buttons projecting outwardly of the microswitches, actuator shafts projecting through said cover and mounted for rotation about their axes and in juxtaposition to said microswitches of respective arrays, said shafts having flats thereon forming cam acutating surfaces for controlling the extent of projection of said microswitch buttons, knobs fixedly mounted to the shafts projecting outwardly of said cover and rotatable therewith, and seals carried by one of said knobs and said shafts for sealing off the connection between a shaft and the knob thereon the prevent ingress of water into the sealed interior of the housing for contamination and possible electrical shorting of said microswitches.

17. The spa as claimed in claim 16, wherein, cylindrical hubs are fixedly mounted to the exterior of said cover, said knobs are each of cylindrical form and include a cylindrical recess within the face of the knob proximate to said cover, sized in excess of diameter of said hub, and wherein, each hub includes an annual groove on the periphery thereof, an O-ring is positioned within said groove and bears on the cylindrical wall of the recess within the knob with the O-ring compressed between the knob and the hub and forming said seal for preventing egress of water therebetween.

18. The spa as claimed in claim 16, further comprising spring biased detent pins carried by each said knob and projecting against the outer surface of the cover, said pins having rounded ends selectively received by a series of circumferentially spaced spherical recesses with the outer surface of the cover to mechanically lock the control knob at a given angular position.

19. The spa as claimed in claim 16, wherein said spa side control unit further comprises a thermostat switch fixedly mounted within the interior of said housing, to one side of said at least two microswitch arrays, a rotatable temperature control setting shaft projecting from said thermostat switch and having an end projecting outwardly of said cover, a cylindrical hub fixedly mounted to said cover and having a bore rotatably receiving the projecting end of said temperature control setting shaft of said thermostat switch, a cylindrical control knob fixedly mounted to the projecting end of said temperature control setting shaft and having a cylindrical recess which concentrically surrounds said hub and an O-ring seal mounted to the periphery of said hub, and being compressed between said hub and the recess wall of said control knob for said thermostat switch, such that rotation of said control knob effects a change in the temperature setting of the thermostatic switch associated therewith.

20. The spa as claimed in claim 16, wherein a thin stabilizer plate is positioned on the face of each microswitch array, which is remote from the cover and wherein, mounting screws project through said stabilizer plate and through the microswitches of said array and have threaded ends embedded within said cover to stabilize said microswitch array and wherein, each stabilizer plate includes a hole therein aligned with the actuating shaft of said rotating shaft proximate thereto, and wherein said shaft terminates in a reduced diameter portion at the end thereof remote from said control knob sized to the said hole of said stabilizer plate and projecting within the hole such that the hole within the stabilizer plate acts as a bearing for the reduced diameter portion of said shaft to stabilize the shaft mounting on the cover and to facilitate shaft rotation by operation of the control knob fixedly coupled each shaft.

21. The spa as claimed in claim 17, wherein said spa shell includes a horizontal rim, a rectangular hole is formed within by said rim, said cover is fixedly mounted to said spa shell rim about said hole such that said housing projects downwardly therefrom within said hole, and wherein said spa further comprises an upwardly open rectangular box shape sand shield epoxyed to the bottom of the rim about the periphery of said hole, said sand shield including pipe couplings sealably connected thereto and carrying ends of plastic pipe for carrying electrical lines and the like leading to and from said switch means of said spa side control unit.

22. The spa as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a thermostat well assembly connected within said pipe means forming said water circulating loop, said thermostat well assembly comprising two plastic tees, side-to-side mounted and sealably connected together by a thimble including a flow restriction, a third tee connected to one of said two tees and a 90 degree ell connected by thimbles to said third tee and to said second tee, respectively, defining a bypass flow passage about said flow restriction, a flow reducer within the side of said third tee not connected to said ell, a small diameter plastic pipe sealably mounted to said flow reducer, having one end terminating within said ell and another end projecting outwardly of the thermostat well assembly, and a cap on the end of said small diameter pipe terminating within said ell such that small diameter pipe forms a thermostat well, and wherein, the presence of the flow restriction within the intermediate of the two side-by-side tees diverts the flow without substantial restriction to flow through the circulating loop and wherein, an adequate flow of water in the circulating loop passes about the thermostat well to insure an effective sensing of the mean temperature of the water flow circulating in the loop by a thermostat carried by said well, and connected to the spa side control unit.