Spa system with flow control feature

• US 8,104,110 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Caudill, Dirk A., Cole, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISTIANSEN, JANIE MEREDITH
• Application Number:
  US11/653,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20080168599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 45411-5416, 417/44.1, 417/42, 700/281, 700/282
• US Class Current: 4/541.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0037 Arrangement for cleaning the fluid during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/50 Control means thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• 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 33/60 Components specifically designed for the therapeutic baths of groups A61H33/00 plumbing E03C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6021 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6063 Specifically adapted for fitting in bathtub walls
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6068 Outlet from the bath
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine

Abstract

A water circulating system, such as a spa system, is disclosed having a flow control feature. In one embodiment, the spa system includes a tub, a pump assembly and a controller. The pump assembly includes a BLDC motor and circulates water from the tub'"'"'s outlet port to its inlet port. The controller sets the speed of the BLDC motor to any speed within the speed range of the BLDC motor in response to a user input to adjust the flow rate of the water to the inlet port of the tub. The spa system may also produce at least one jetting mode in response to a user input. The jetting mode may be a pulse mode, a sinusoidal mode, a ramp mode, or a saw-tooth mode. In another spa system, a first pump operates at a first speed to heat the circulating water when a heater is activated, and at a second speed when the heater is not activated. In other embodiments, the spa system includes a jetting pump assembly that includes a BLDC motor and a circulating pump assembly that operates at two speeds. In another embodiment, the spa system includes a circulating pump assembly that circulates water from an outlet port to an inlet port during standby. Where the circulating pump assembly operates at a first speed when a heater is activated to heat the circulating water, and at a second speed when the heater is not activated.

Claims

1. A control system for a bathing unit, the bathing unit including a receptacle for holding water, the receptacle having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port, said control system comprising:

a) a circulation system through which water can flow between the outlet port and the inlet port of the receptacle;

b) a jetting pump assembly suitable for pumping water through said circulation system, said jetting pump assembly having a motor driving a pump, the motor being configured for operating at a plurality of different motor speeds within a range of possible motor speeds;

c) a controller in communication with said jetting pump assembly, said controller having;

i) a memory unit; and

ii) a user interface configured for;

1. enabling a human operator of the bathing unit to specify a set of parameters to create a user configured jetting mode and to store the user configured jetting mode in the memory unit for later recall, wherein the user interface enables the human operator to independently specify a particular first motor speed and a particular second motor speed when creating the user configured jetting mode; and

2. allowing selection of a jetting mode amongst jetting modes stored in the memory unit, the jetting modes stored in the memory unit including the user configured jetting mode and at least one other jetting mode;

said controller being responsive to the selection of the user configured jetting mode from the memory unit via the user interface for causing the motor driving the pump of the jetting assembly to vary its speed based in part on the specified particular first motor speed and the specified particular second motor speed.

2. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the user configured jetting mode conveys a periodic motor speed pattern.

3. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the user configured jetting mode conveys a jetting mode selected from the set consisting of a pulse mode, a sinusoidal mode, a ramp mode and a saw-tooth mode.

4. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the specified particular first motor speed conveys a lower speed limit and the specified particular second motor speed conveys an upper speed limit.

5. A control system as defined in claim 4, wherein the user interface allows the human operator to create the user configured jetting mode at least in part by specifying a periodic motor speed pattern associated with the motor driving the pump.

6. A control system as defined in claim 5, wherein the specified periodic motor speed pattern is one of a pulse mode, a sinusoidal mode, a ramp mode and a saw-tooth mode.

7. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a plurality of preset jetting modes in addition to the user configured jetting mode.

8. A control system for a bathing unit, the bathing unit including a receptacle for holding water, the receptacle having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port, said control system comprising:

a) a circulation system through which water can flow between the outlet port and the inlet port of the receptacle;

b) a jetting pump assembly suitable for pumping water through said circulation system, said jetting pump assembly having a motor driving a pump, the motor being configured for operating at a plurality of different motor speeds within a range of possible motor speeds;

c) a controller in communication with said jetting pump assembly, said controller having;

i) a memory unit;

ii) a user interface configured for;

1) enabling a human operator to specify a set of parameters to create a user configured setting and to store the user configured setting in the memory unit for later recall, wherein the user interface enables the human operator to independently specify a particular first motor speed and a particular second motor speed when creating the user configured setting;

2) allowing selection of a setting amongst settings stored in the memory unit, the settings stored in the memory unit including the user configured setting and at least one other setting;

said controller being responsive to the selection of the user configured setting from the memory unit via the user interface for causing the motor driving the pump of the jetting assembly to vary its speed based in part on the specified particular first motor speed and the specified particular second motor speed.

9. A control system as defined in claim 8, wherein the specified particular first motor speed conveys a lower speed limit and the specified particular second motor speed conveys an upper speed limit.

10. A control system as defined in claim 8, wherein the memory further stores a plurality of preset settings in addition to the user configured setting.

11. A control system for a bathing unit, the bathing unit including a receptacle for holding water, the receptacle having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port, said control system comprising:

a) a circulation system through which water can flow between the outlet port and the inlet port of the receptacle;

b) a jetting pump assembly suitable for pumping water through said circulation system, said jetting pump assembly having a motor driving a pump, the motor being configured for operating at a plurality of different motor speeds within a range of possible motor speeds;

c) a controller in communication with said jetting pump assembly, said controller having;

i. a memory unit;

ii. a user interface configured for enabling a human operator of the bathing unit to create a user configured jetting mode at least in part by selecting independently;

(1) a particular first speed from the range of possible motor speeds; and

(2) a particular second speed from the range of possible motor speeds;

iii. a processor in communication with said user interface for causing the motor driving the pump of the jetting assembly to vary its speed based in part on the selected particular first speed and the selected particular second speed.

12. A control system as defined in claim 11, wherein the particular first speed conveys a lower speed limit and the particular second speed conveys an upper speed limit.

13. A control system as defined in claim 12, wherein the user interface allows the human operator to create the user configured jetting mode at least in part by specifying a periodic motor speed pattern associated with the motor driving the pump.

14. A control system as defined in claim 13, wherein the specified periodic motor speed pattern is one of a pulse mode, a sinusoidal mode, a ramp mode and a saw-tooth mode.

15. A control system as defined in claim 13, wherein the user interface allows the human operator to select a time period associated with the specified periodic motor speed pattern, the selected time period conveying a rate of repetition of the specified periodic motor speed pattern, said processor being configured for causing the motor driving the pump of the jetting assembly to vary its speed based in part on a) the selected particular first speed;

b) the selected particular second speed and c) the selected time period.