Whirlpool bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump

• US 5,457,826 A
• Filed: 12/06/1993
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Haraga, Hisato, Moriyama, Kenji, Uchiyama, Koichi, Obata, Takashi, Inatomi, Yasutoshi, Hashida, Mituaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US08/163,197
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 4/541-544, 4/490, 4/492, 4/192, 128/66, 239/428.5, 239/412, 137/393, 137/399, 137/386, 210/108, 417/361, 417/363, 310/87, 310/88
• US Class Current: 4/541.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0037 Arrangement for cleaning the fluid during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0054 with liquid level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0079 using remote control signal transmission devices, e.g. ultrasonic, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/022 with control means for regulating the air volume aspirated by a water jet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1207 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/027 Gas-water mixing nozzles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/60 Components specifically designed for the therapeutic baths of groups A61H33/00 plumbing E03C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6047 With incorporated pump means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6057 Comprising means producing pulsating or intermittent streams for massage, A61H9/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6063 Specifically adapted for fitting in bathtub walls
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6073 Intake mouths for recirculation of fluid in whirlpool baths

Abstract

A whirlpool bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump comprises a bathtub body, a circulating pump driven by a power-operated motor, a hot water circulation path disposed between the bathtub body and the circulating pump, the hot water circulation path comprising a hot water suction path and a hot water forced-feed path, the hot water forced-feed path having at least one terminal end which communicates with the interior of the bathtub body, at least one blow-off nozzle which is mounted on the terminal end of the hot water forced-feed path, an air intake portion connected to the hot water forced-feed path to permit blowing of bubbling hot water into the bathtub body from the blow-off nozzles, an inverter interposed between a drive circuit of the power-operated motor of the circulating pump and a power source and an electrical insulation means protecting the transfer of high frequency components of inverter-produced current to the hot water in the bathtub body. Due to such construction, the circulating pump can be controlled such that the revolution of the motor is readily and smoothly varied by way of a frequency modulation influenced by the inverter to provide the blow-off of hot water in various modes which are different in the blow-off amount and pressure of the blow-off hot water, while assuring a maximum degree of safety of a bather.

Claims

1. A whirlpool bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump comprising:

a) a bathtub body,

b) a circulating pump driven by a power-operated motor having a drive circuit and mounted exteriorly on said bathtub body, said circulating pump comprising a motor portion covered with a motor casing and a pump portion covered with a pump casing, said motor casing and said pump casing being electrically insulated from one another,

c) a hot water circulation path disposed between said bathtub body and said circulating pump, said hot water circulation path comprising a hot water suction path and a hot water forced-feed path, said hot water forced-feed path having at least one terminal end opening into said bathtub body,

d) nozzle means comprising at least one blow-off nozzle mounted on said terminal end of said hot water forced-feed path,

e) an air intake portion connected to said hot water forced-feed path to permit blowing off of bubbling hot water into said bathtub body from said blow-off nozzle,

f) an inverter interposed between said drive circuit of said power-operated motor of said circulating pump and a power source, said inverter having a variable output frequency, said drive circuit being responsive to the output frequency of said inverter to control the rate of revolution of said motor and hence operation of said circulating pump to provide a plurality of modes of said blow-off of hot water, each of said modes being different in amount and pressure of said blow-off of hot water, and

g) an electrically isolating transformer interposed between said inverter and said power source, said power-operated motor of said circulating pump having said motor casing thereof connected to a center tap of a secondary winding of said electrically isolating transformer, and

h) a control unit for controlling said drive circuit of said circulating pump, said inverter and said electrically isolating transformer,

said blow-off nozzle being further provided with valve means for gradually regulating the blow-off amount and blow-off pressure of said blow-off nozzle, said control unit comprising means for simultaneously regulating said valve means of said blow-off nozzle, and further comprising an operating panel, and means applying signals from said operating panel to said circulating pump to selectively control the circulating pump to provide the following blow-off modes;

a) a blow-off mode in which said valve means of said blow-off nozzle is positioned to enable a full opening of said blow-off nozzle and the rate of revolution of said circulating pump is increased from a medium speed level to a high speed level to provide a blow-off in which the amount of said hot water blown off from said blow-off nozzle is large and the blow-off pressure thereof is low;

b) a blow-off mode in which said rate of revolution of said circulating pump is held at said high speed level and said valve means of said blow-off nozzle is regulated such that the amount of hot water blown off from said blow-off nozzle is small and the blow-off pressure thereof is high;

c) a blow-off mode in which said rate of revolution of said circulating pump is held at said high speed level and said valve means of said blow-off nozzle moves between a fully nozzle open position and a fully nozzle closed position to alternately blow-off hot water and stop blowing-off hot water; and

d) a blow-off mode in which said valve means of said blow-off nozzle is positioned to enable a full or half opening of said blow-off nozzle and the rate of revolution of said circulating pump is periodically changed, thus providing a blow-off in which the amount of said hot water to be blown off is changed periodically.

2. A whirlpool-bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump according to claim 1, wherein said hot water forced-feed path has a plurality of terminal ends opening into said bathtub body and said nozzle means comprises a plurality of blow-off nozzles driven by power-operated motors and mounted on said terminal ends of said hot water forced-feed path, said power-operated motors being controlled by said control unit thus enabling the operation of said blow-off nozzles to perform a blow-off cycle wherein said blow-off nozzles periodically or sequentially change the opening or closing thereof in each blow-off mode.

3. A whirlpool bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump according to claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises means for varying said blow-off modes, a blow strength of said blow-off of hot water, a selection of blow-off positions of said blow-off nozzles and combinations thereof, over time in a predetermined manner by controlling the degree of opening and closing of each blow-off nozzle and the rate of revolution of said power-operated motor of said circulating pump by way of said inverter.

4. A whirlpool bath with an inverter-controlled circulating pump according to claims 1, wherein said control unit comprises means for controlling each blow-off mode to be comprised of a plurality of sub-blow-off modes and means for selecting one sub-blow-off mode from said plurality of sub-blow-off modes whenever said blow-off mode is changed from one blow-off mode to another blow-off mode.