Bath apparatus

• US 6,393,633 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2001
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FKA Distributing Company, Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferber, Roman S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/759,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 500 Days
• Field of Search: 4/541.1,541.5,541.6,621,622 601/22,154,158,166 607/86,111
• US Class Current: 4/622
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/022 specially adapted for particular use, e.g. for washing the feet, for bathing in sitting position doors to get in and out of baths more easily A47K3/006; collapsible baths A47K3/062
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/00 Massage by means of rollers, balls, e.g. inflatable, chains, or roller chains
• 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 33/6089 Specific construction features for further massaging means, i.e. not for the nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/006 for the feet

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for bathing body parts, such as the feet. The apparatus includes a bath chamber for containing fluid, such as water, and receiving the body part therein. The bath chamber includes a bottom surface and a wall structure extending upwardly therefrom. A pump is disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the bath chamber, and a bubble egress tube is provided in communication with the pump and the bath chamber bottom surface. The bubble egress tube has a continuous configuration which traverses a surface area of the bath chamber bottom surface having a width dimension greater than the width of the egress tube. Air from the pump is directed into the bath chamber through egress holes formed in the bubble egress tube, thereby generating air bubbles in the fluid contained in the bath chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for bathing a body part, the apparatus comprising:

a bath chamber for containing a fluid and receiving the body part therein, the bath chamber including a bottom surface and a wall structure extending upwardly therefrom;

a pump disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the bath chamber; and

at least one bubble egress tube in communication with the pump and the bath chamber bottom surface, the at least one bubble egress tube having a configuration which traverses a surface area of the bath chamber bottom surface having a width dimension greater than the width of the egress tube, the at least one bubble egress tube including a plurality of egress holes formed therein through which air from the pump is directed into the bath chamber in order to generate air bubbles in the fluid contained therein.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bubble egress tube is disposed below the bath chamber bottom surface such that the egress holes are flush with the bottom surface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bubble egress tube protrudes at least partially above the bath chamber bottom surface such that the egress holes are raised above the bottom surface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of bubble egress holes are positioned at multiple axial locations along the egress tube.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bubble egress tube has a continuous curvilinear configuration.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bubble egress tube includes a continuous configuration of linear segments.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall structure includes a contact area adapted to be uncovered by fluid contained in the bath chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further including a heating member provided on the contact area for providing heat to the body part when the body part is placed on the contact area.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating member uses infrared rays.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, further including at least one massage attachment adapted to be received on the contact area for massaging the body part when the body part engages the massage attachment.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one massage attachment is stationary.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one massage attachment is manually rotatable.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further including a motor disposed on an underside of the bath chamber, and an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor and adapted to be accessible through the contact area, wherein the at least one massage attachment is adapted to be received on the output shaft to provide motorized rotation of the massage attachment.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein motorized rotation of the at least one massage attachment is activated by pressure of the body part on the massage attachment.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a heater in communication with the bath chamber for maintaining the heat of the fluid contained therein.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the heater includes a rope heating element provided underneath the bottom surface of the bath chamber.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a vibration assembly in communication with the bath chamber for imparting vibration to the bath chamber.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the vibration assembly includes a motor affixed to an underside of the bath chamber, an output shaft rotatably driven by the motor, and a counterweight affixed to the output shaft.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a plurality of raised nodes provided on the bottom surface of the bath chamber.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the bath chamber includes rollers provided thereon.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the rollers are detachable from the bottom surface of the bath chamber.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a lid adapted to be attached to the wall structure to at least partially cover the bath chamber.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bath chamber is generally U-shaped, and the contact area is generally peninsular and centrally disposed within the bath chamber.

24. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an outer housing which encases the bath chamber.

25. A foot bath, comprising:

a bath chamber for containing water and receiving at least one foot therein, the bath chamber including a bottom surface and a wall structure extending upwardly therefrom, the bottom surface having a first side and a second side;

a pump disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the bath chamber; and

first and second bubble egress tubes disposed within the first and second sides of the bottom surface, respectively, and in communication with the pump and the bottom surface, each bubble egress tube having a continuous configuration which traverses a surface area of the corresponding first and second sides having a width dimension greater than the width of the egress tube, each bubble egress tube including a plurality of egress holes formed therein through which air from the pump is directed into the bath chamber in order to generate air bubbles in the fluid contained therein.

26. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein the bubble egress tubes are disposed below the bath chamber bottom surface such that the egress holes are flush with the bottom surface.

27. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein the bubble egress tubes protrude at least partially above the bath chamber bottom surface such that the egress holes are raised above the bottom surface.

28. The foot bath according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of bubble egress holes are positioned at multiple axial locations along the egress tube.

29. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein each bubble egress tube has a serpentine configuration.

30. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein each bubble egress tube has a sawtooth configuration.

31. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein each bubble egress tube has a square-wave configuration.

32. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein each bubble egress tube has a generally U-shaped configuration.

33. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein the bath chamber is generally U-shaped, and the wall structure includes a generally peninsular, centrally located contact area adapted to be uncovered by fluid contained in the bath chamber.

34. The foot bath according to claim 33, further including an infrared heating member provided on the contact area for providing heat to the body part when the body part is placed on the contact area.

35. The foot bath according to claim 33, further including at least one massage attachment adapted to be received on the contact area for massaging the body part when the body part engages the massage attachment.

36. The foot bath according to claim 35, wherein the at least one massage attachment is stationary.

37. The foot bath according to claim 35, wherein the at least one massage attachment is rotatable.

38. The foot bath according to claim 37, wherein rotation of the at least one massage attachment is motorized and activated by pressure of the foot on the massage attachment.

39. The foot bath according to claim 25, further including a heater in communication with the bath chamber for maintaining the heat of the fluid contained therein.

40. The foot bath according to claim 25, further including a vibration assembly in communication with the bath chamber for imparting vibration to the bath chamber.

41. The foot bath according to claim 25, further including a plurality of raised nodes provided on the bottom surface of the bath chamber.

42. The foot bath according to claim 25, wherein the bottom surface of the bath chamber includes detachable rollers provided thereon.

43. The foot bath according to claim 25, further including a lid adapted to be attached to the wall structure to at least partially cover the bath chamber.

44. A foot bath, comprising:

a generally U-shaped bath chamber for containing water and receiving at least one foot therein, the bath chamber including a bottom surface and a wall structure extending upwardly therefrom, the wall structure terminating in an upper surface that includes a peninsular portion adapted to be exposed when water is contained in the bath chamber;

a pump disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the bath chamber; and

a pair of bubble egress tubes disposed on either side of the peninsular portion and in communication with the pump and the bath chamber bottom surface, each bubble egress tube having a continuous curvilinear configuration and including a plurality of egress holes formed therein through which air from the pump is directed into the bath chamber in order to generate air bubbles in the fluid contained therein.

45. A foot bath, comprising:

a generally U-shaped bath chamber for containing water and receiving at least one foot therein, the bath chamber including a bottom surface and a wall structure extending upwardly therefrom, the wall structure terminating in an upper surface that includes a peninsular portion adapted to be exposed when water is contained in the bath chamber;

a pump disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the bath chamber; and

a pair of bubble egress tubes disposed on either side of the peninsular portion and in communication with the pump and the bath chamber bottom surface, each bubble egress tube having a continuous configuration of linear segments which include a plurality of egress holes formed therein through which air from the pump is directed into the bath chamber in order to generate air bubbles in the fluid contained therein.