Foot water jetting device

• US 8,057,413 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takahiro, Katsukawa, Yumiko, Suyama, Hirotomo, Hamada, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): DEMILLE, DANTON D
• Application Number:
  US10/588,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,792 Days
• Field of Search: 601/17, 601/55, 601/152, 601154-160, 601/166, 457/41, 454/16, 462/2, 456/8, 239/263.1, 607/81, 607/82, 607/85, 607/86
• US Class Current: 601/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2009/0042 with water recirculation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0079 using remote control signal transmission devices, e.g. ultrasonic, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1418 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1436 Special crank assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/0087 Therapeutic baths with agitated or circulated water
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6057 Comprising means producing pulsating or intermittent streams for massage, A61H9/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/006 for the feet

Abstract

A foot water-spouting device includes a foot-front water spouting section for spouting water toward the front side of a user'"'"'s foot and a water-spouting section direction moving mechanism for reciprocating the destination of water spouting of the foot-front water spouting section along a longitudinal direction of the foot. A plurality of spouts may be arranged side-by-side in the foot instep width direction for each of the right and left feet. The pressure of water spouting at a water arrival point may be changed based on or the water spouting amount may be changed based on movement of the water arrival point.

Claims

1. A foot water-spouting device comprising:

a foot-front water spouting section configured to spout water toward a top front area of a user'"'"'s foot;

a water-spouting section direction moving mechanism configured to move the direction of water spouting of the foot-front water spouting section along a longitudinal direction of the top-front area of the user'"'"'s foot; and

a control section for controlling the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism;

wherein said foot-front water spouting section has a plurality of water-spouting nozzles arranged side-by-side in the foot width direction for each of the right and left foot and said foot-front water-spouting section is configured to continuously spout water with a spouting first dimension causing only a part of the foot in a longitudinal direction to receive spouted water while the combined spouting width of the side-by-side nozzles extends across the width of the foot in a second dimension that is greater than said first dimension;

said water-spouting section direction moving mechanism being configured so as to concurrently move the plurality of side-by-side water-spouting nozzles in the longitudinal foot direction, whereby the spouted water across the width of the foot is moved along a longitudinal direction of the foot; and

said control section being configured to control the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism such that water spouted from the plurality of the water-spouting nozzles is sequentially passed over a longitudinal dimension of the foot ranging from a toe side to an ankle side, thereby only intermittently spouting water onto different top-foot areas.

2. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein a path of movement of a water arrival point receiving the spouting water by the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism includes a toe.

3. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein the control section controls changes in pressure of spouting water received by the water arrival point according to position of the water arrival point.

4. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 2, wherein the control section controls pressure of spouting water received by the water arrival point to be highest when the water arrival point is at the toe.

5. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein the control section comprises a flow rate control section which is configured to change a water spouting flow amount according to a position of the moving water arrival point.

6. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 5, wherein the control section controls the flow rate control section to cause the largest flow rate of spouted water when the water arrival point is located at the toe.

7. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism comprises a rotary shaft that pivotally supports either rotation or rotational movement of the foot-front water spouting section as the water arrival point is moved along a longitudinal direction of the foot.

8. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 7, wherein the rotary shaft is pivotally supported immediately above a position of root of the fifth toe or closer to the toe tip side from that in the container body in use.

9. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein the control section controls the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism to reciprocate a water arrival point along a longitudinal direction of the foot.

10. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 1, wherein the foot water-spouting device further comprises a sole water spouting section configured to spout water toward a sole of a user'"'"'s foot.

11. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 10, wherein the control section controls at least one of a water spouting amount and a water spouting pressure of the sole water spouting section by effecting cyclical changes.

12. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 11, wherein the control section controls the water-spouting section direction moving mechanism to cause a direction of water spouted from the foot-front water spouting section to be cyclically oscillated.

13. The foot water-spouting device as in claim 10, wherein the control section controls the sole water spouting section to cause the direction of water spouted from the sole water spouting direction to be cyclically oscillated.