Portable vapour bath

• US 4,862,526 A
• Filed: 12/03/1987
• Issued: 09/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Franz R. Berger
• Original Assignee: Franz R. Berger
• Inventors: Berger, Franz R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sholl, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US07/129,338
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 4/524, 4/525, 4/526, 4/527, 4/528, 4/531, 4/535, 4/536, D/2437, 128/367, 128/368, 128/371, 128/373, 128/374, 128/375
• US Class Current: 4/536
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2035/004 for the whole body except the head
• 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

Abstract

A portable vapor bath comprising a contoured superstructure and interior having a top, bottom, front, rear and plurality of sides; having disposed upon its front an opening closed by a closure member; said front and rear having a top and bottom said front and rear extending in planes substantially diverging from one another proximate the top of the vapor bath to a position intermediate the top and bottom of said vapor bath whereat said front and rear extend in planes substantially converging towards one another proximate the bottom of the vapor bath, said front being inclined from said top at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes away from the rear to a position intermediate its top and bottom and thereafter sloping to its bottom at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes in the opposite direction towards the rear; the rear sloping from its top at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes towards a position intermediate its top and bottom away from the front and thereafter sloping to its bottom in the opposite direction at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes, towards the front; having disposed in its top an opening located above a seating means disposed upon the bottom of the vapor bath; having affixed adjacent the bottom thereof a separate source of wet or dry heat, wherein said bottom portion has at least one opening to allow entry of said wet or dry heat into the vapor bath; wherein said portable vapor bath will, because of its contoured shape, ensure close contact of wet or dry heat forwardly, rearwardly, left and right, with the user'"'"'s body located within the bath chamber upon a seat securely fastened to the interior bottom of said superstructure.

Claims

1. A portable vapour bath comprising a double-tapered contoured superstructure and interior having a top, bottom, front, rear and plurality of sides;

having disposed upon its front an opening closed by a closure member said closure member being disposed at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes;

said front and rear having a top and bottom, said front and rear extending in planes substantially diverging from one another, each plane diverging from the normal vertical plane, proximate the top of the vapour bath to a position intermediate the top and bottom of said vapour bath whereat said front and rear extend in planes substantially converging towards one another and toward the vertical plane proximate the bottom of the vapour bath, said front being inclined from said top at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes away from the rear to a position intermediate its top and bottom and thereafter sloping to its bottom at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes in the opposite direction towards the rear;

the rear sloping from its top at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes towards a position intermediate its top and bottom away from the front and thereafter sloping to its bottom in the opposite direction at an angle to both the normal horizontal and vertical planes towards the front;

having disposed in its top an opening located above a seating means disposed upon the bottom of the vapour bath;

having affixed adjacent the bottom thereof a separated source of wet or dry heat, wherein said bottom portion has at least one opening to allow entry of said wet or dry heat into the vapour bath;

wherein said portable vapour bath will, because of its contoured shape, said contouring providing diverging and converging planes, ensure close contact of wet or dry heat forwardly, rearwardly, top and bottom, with the user'"'"'s body located within the bath chamber upon a seat securely fastened to the interior bottom of said superstructure.

2. The portable vapour bath of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sides comprises at least one member per side, said sides having a top and bottom left and right, the sides sloping from their tops towards a position intermediate their tops and bottoms away from the opposite side thereof and thereafter sloping to their bottoms in the opposite direction towards the opposite side, the sides further sloping from their left towards a position intermediate their left and right away from the opposite side, and thereafter sloping to their right in the opposite direction towards the opposite side wherein said portable vapour bath will, because of its contoured shape, said contouring providing diverging and converging planes, ensure close contact of wet or dry heat forwardly, rearwardly, bottom, top, left and right with the user'"'"'s body located within the bath chamber upon a seat securely fastened to the interior bottom of said superstructure.

3. The vapour bath of claims 1 or 2, wherein provision is made for more than one user.

4. The vapour bath of claims 1 or 2, wherein said wet or dry heat source is at least one electrically-operated, thermostatically-controlled vapour generator independently embodied and affixed to the rear of said vapour bath at the bottom thereof, having disposed upon its affixed surface a multiplicity of orifices in communication with orifices disposed upon the rear of the vapour bath and the bottom thereof;

said vapour generator having a water tank into which a submersible thermostatically-controlled heating coil is situated, thereby preventing overheating and failure thereof, said coil being powered by an external power supply connected thereto upon the outer surface of the vapour generator, ensuring the safety of the user of the vapour bath, and said vapour generator further thermostatically controlled by the temperature within the bath chamber.

5. The vapour baths of claim 3, wherein said wet or dry heat source is at least one electrically-operated, thermostatically-controlled vapour generator independently embodied and affixed to the rear of said vapour bath at the bottom thereof, having disposed upon its affixed surface a multiplicity of orifices in communication with orifices disposed upon the rear of the vapour bath and the bottom thereof;

said vapour generator having a water tank into which a submersible thermostatically-controlled heating coil is situated, thereby preventing overheating and failure thereof, said coil being powered by an external power supply connected thereto upon the outer surface of the vapour generator, ensuring the safety of the user of the vapour bath, and said vapour generator further thermostatically controlled by the temperature within the bath chamber.

6. The vapour bath of claims 1 or 2, wherein said bottom is convex in shape, containing alternatively a peripheral drain, or water tray and duckboard disposed thereupon, to handle the accumulation of condensate therein.

7. The vapour bath of claim 3, wherein said bottom is convex in shape, containing alternatively a peripheral drain, or water tray and duckboard disposed thereupon, to handle the accumulation of condensate therein.

8. The vapour bath of claim 4, wherein said bottom is convex in shape, containing alternatively a peripheral drain, or water tray and duckboard disposed thereupon, to handle the accumulation of condensate therein.

9. The vapour bath of claim 5, wherein said bottom is convex in shape, containing alternatively a peripheral drain, or water tray and duckboard disposed thereupon, to handle the accumulation of condensate therein.

10. The vapour bath of claim 5, wherein said multiplicity of orifices in communication with orifices disposed upon the bottom of the vapour bath and the rear thereof, are of variable and/or adjustable diameter.

11. The vapour bath of claim 9, wherein said multiplicity of orifices in communication with orifices disposed upon the bottom of the vapour bath and the rear thereof, are of variable and/or adjustable diameter.