Inflatable spa

• US 9,642,771 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intex Marketing Ltd. (Intex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intex Marketing Ltd. (Intex Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Hua Hsiang, Hsu, Yaw Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US15/292,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20170027815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 4538-595
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/06 Collapsible baths , e.g. inflatable; Movable baths
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/023 with means in the air supply lines to prevent back-feed of water, e.g. anti-backflow valves, draining devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0103 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0157 portable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/0087 Therapeutic baths with agitated or circulated water
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/0095 Arrangements for varying the temperature of the liquid
• 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 33/028 Means for producing a flow of gas, e.g. blowers, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6005 Special constructive structural details of the bathtub, e.g. of the walls or supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6021 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6047 With incorporated pump means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6068 Outlet from the bath
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0025 with inflatable parts
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/129 Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools solar collectors using pools F24S10/17, F24S10/10; by solar radiation F24S20/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An inflatable spa is disclosed having improved strength. A water cavity of the inflatable spa may receive massaging air bubbles and/or jetted water.

Claims

1. An inflatable spa comprising:

a top wall;

a bottom wall;

an internal wall;

an external wall;

an inflatable air chamber defined by the top wall, the bottom wall, the internal wall, and the external wall;

a water cavity defined by the bottom wall and the internal wall;

a control system including an air pump operable in;

an inflation mode that supplies air to the air chamber to inflate the air chamber; and

an aeration mode that supplies air to the water cavity to aerate the water cavity; and

a first check valve positioned in an air passageway between the air pump and the external wall of the inflatable spa, wherein the first check valve is biased closed to prevent a backflow of water from the water cavity to the air pump and is opened under pressure from the air pump.

2. The inflatable spa of claim 1, wherein the control system is operable in a deflation mode that removes air from the air chamber to deflate the air chamber.

3. The inflatable spa of claim 1, wherein the air pump communicates with an annular delivery chamber that is positioned in the water cavity and has a plurality of holes, whereby in the aeration mode, the air travels from the air pump, into the annular delivery chamber, and into the water cavity through the plurality of holes.

4. The inflatable spa of claim 1, further comprising:

a first water passageway from the water cavity to the control system;

a second water passageway from the control system to the water cavity;

a water heater positioned in fluid communication with the first and second water passageways; and

an air passageway from the air pump of the control system to the water cavity.

5. The inflatable spa of claim 4, wherein:

the first and second water passageways are positioned in a first vertical plane;

the air passageway is positioned in a second vertical plane that is spaced apart from the first vertical plane.

6. The inflatable spa of claim 1, wherein the air passageway narrows such that the first check valve becomes progressively tighter as the backflow of water from the water cavity increases.

7. The inflatable spa of claim 1, further comprising a second check valve positioned in series with the first check valve in the air passageway.

8. The inflatable spa of claim 7, wherein the first check valve is oriented perpendicular to the second check valve.

9. The inflatable spa of claim 7, further comprising a drain valve positioned between the first and second check valves.

10. The inflatable spa of claim 9, wherein the drain valve is oriented parallel to one of the first and second check valves and perpendicular to the other of the first and second check valves.

11. The inflatable spa of claim 6, wherein

the control system includes a plurality of electrically powered units that communicate with the water cavity, the plurality of units including the air pump and a water heater, the control system automatically limiting power to one of the plurality of units when another of the plurality of units is activated.

12. The inflatable spa of claim 11, wherein the control system limits power to the water heater when the air pump is activated.

13. The inflatable spa of claim 12, wherein the control system limits power to the water heater to about 50% or less when the air pump is activated.

14. The inflatable spa of claim 11, wherein the control system automatically restores power to the one unit when the other unit is deactivated.

15. An inflatable spa comprising:

a top wall;

a bottom wall;

an internal wall;

an external wall;

an inflatable air chamber defined by the top wall, the bottom wall, the internal wall, and the external wall;

a water cavity defined by the bottom wall and the internal wall;

an air pump; and

an air passageway that delivers air from the air pump to the water cavity of the inflatable spa, wherein in an area located between the air pump and the external wall of the inflatable spa, the air passageway includes;

at least one check valve that is biased closed to prevent a backflow of water from the water cavity to the air pump and is opened under pressure from the air pump; and

a drain valve that is biased open to drain any water from the air passageway and is closed under pressure from the air pump.

16. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the air passageway extends through the external and internal walls of the inflatable spa to communicate with the water cavity of the inflatable spa.

17. The inflatable spa of claim 15, further comprising an annular wall coupled to the internal wall and the bottom wall of the inflatable spa to define a delivery chamber that distributes air from the air passageway around the water cavity.

18. The inflatable spa of claim 17, wherein the annular wall includes a plurality of holes that deliver air from the delivery chamber into the water cavity.

19. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the drain valve is aligned vertically beneath at least a portion of the at least one check valve.

20. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the at least one check valve includes a first check valve and a second check valve, and wherein the drain valve is positioned downstream of the first check valve and upstream of the second check valve.

21. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the at least one check valve includes a first check valve and a second check valve, and wherein the drain valve is oriented parallel to one of the first and second check valves and perpendicular to the other of the first and second check valves.

22. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the at least one check valve includes a stem and a head with a hemispherical seal.

23. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the air passageway narrows such that the at least one check valve becomes progressively tighter as the backflow of water from the water cavity increases.

24. The inflatable spa of claim 15, wherein the at least one check valve includes a first check valve and a second check valve positioned in series.

25. The inflatable spa of claim 24, wherein the first check valve is oriented perpendicular to the second check valve.