GB2181643A - Aerated baths - Google Patents

Abstract

Air is blown into a bath through inlet ports which are at the ends of air-supply tubes. A little hot water is fed into the air stream to compensate, at least partially, for heat-losses. The invention provides apparatus for preventing unpleasant fluctuations in the hot water supply to the air-supply tubes. The apparatus has a chamber (22) with an air inlet (5) and outlet fitments (1) attached to the air-supply tubes. The airflow rotates a rotor (17) provided with fan blades (21). Hot water entering the chamber through inlet holes (9), from a reservoir supplied through an inlet fitment (7), falls on the rotor and, thus being subjected to rotary forces, is propelled outwards and is distributed around the chamber. A mixture of air and drops of water passes from the chamber into the air-supply tubes. The rotor may be motor-driven, or it may be omitted, in which case the air is introduced tangentially into the chamber to subject the water to rotary forces. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Aerated baths This invention relates to aerated baths. In a known form of aerated bath, air under pressure is blown into a bath, below the water-level, through a plurality of individual inlet ports, a little hot water being entrained with the air in orderto replace some or all ofthe heat thatwould otherwise be lost owing to the introduction into the bath of air at ambienttemperature. In that formofaerated bath,airispumpedthrough a manifold and thence through a plurality of air-supply tubes, each leading to an associated inlet port.

Likewise, hotwaterfrom a suitable source is fed through another manifold and thence through a plurality ofwater-injection tubes each of which discharges hot water into an associated one ofthe air-supply tubes whence it is carried by the air into the bath.A problem that sometimes arises, however, is that the ratio of airto water passing into the bath through some inlet ports varies erratically and differs consideraly from the ratio of air to water passing into the bath through other inlet ports, with the resultthat fromtimetotimefluid entering the bath through some ports is excessively hotwhile fluid entering the bath through other ports is excessively cold, an effect which may well prove unpleasantto a userofthe bath.

One object of the present invention is to provide means enabling that problem to be overcome, or at least reduced.

From a first aspect the present invention consists in a method of mixing airandwaterforsupplyto a plurality offluid inlet ports in an aerated bath, in which method air and water are fed into a chamber, the water is subjected to rotary forces causing or assisting in causing itto be propelled outwards and to be distributed around the chamber and a resultant mixture of air and water is discharged from the chamberthrough a pluralityoffluid outlets into a plurality offluid ways leading to said fluid inlet ports in the bath.

From a second aspect the present invention consists in apparatusforuse in mixing airand waterforsupply to a plurality of inlet ports in an aerated bath, which apparatus comprises a chamber with an inlet or inlets for airand water, means for causing water in the chamberto be subjected to rotary forces causing or assisting in causing itto be propelled outwards and to be distributed around the chamber and a plurality of fluid outlets through which a resultant mixture of air and water can be discharged from the chamber, the outlets opening into or being adapted to open into a plurality of associated fluid ways leading to said inlet ports in the bath.

Ithas been foundthatwhilethewater is being distributed around the chamber much of it is likely to be broken into drops or other discrete parts as it is propelled outwards. Then, at least some of the water mayform a film orfilms onthewall orwalls ofthe chamber. Afterthat,when a mixture of air and water has entered any ofthefluidways leading to an associated inlet port in the bath, all or much of the water is likely to be in the form of separate drops which engagethewall orwalls ofthefluidwayand are carried along by a flow of air.

It has also been found that the average ratio of air to water constituting the mixture leaving the chamber through any one outlet remains substantially constant as long as the other circumstances remain unaltered.

By providing outlets that are of suitable dimensions and that are suitably disposed, it is possible to ensure that, in use, a mixture of substantially uniform average constitution leaves the chamberthrough each outlet.

In one method, airfed into the chamber swirls round the chamberwithoutthe aid ofany moving part or parts in the chamber, and waterfed into the chamber is entrained by the swirling air and is propelled outwards by it. The air may be caused to swirl round the chamber bythe shape and disposition of the air inletand the shape ofthe chamber. Ion a preferred arrangement the interior of the chamber has rotational symmetry about an axis, the rotational forces are the result of rotation aboutthat axis, and the fluid outlets are disposed symmetrically in relation to that axis, the arrangement being such that in use a mixture of similar constitution leavesthechamberthrough each outlet.

In a preferred method, however, a rotating rotor in the chamber propels outwards or assists in propelling outwards water fed into the chamber. The rotor may be power-driven. Alternatively, or in addition, rotation ofthe rotor may be caused or assisted by the flow of airthrough the chamber. Thus the chamber may have an inletforairwhich is aligned with an axis of rotation of the rotor, and the rotor may be provided with fan formations such that, in use, air entering the chamber through said airinletflowstowards an inner part of the rotor and from there flows outwards, its resulting engagement with the fan formations causing or assisting the rotation of the rotor.In a preferred form of apparatus incorporating a rotorthere are a plurality of inlets forwater entering the chamber,those inlets being so disposed that, in use, water entering the chamberthrough those inlets contacts the rotor at locations disposed around the rotor. In order to avoid problems with sealing,the rotor is preferably such that there are no rotating parts ofthe rotor or rotating parts associated with the rotor, such as a motor spindle, that extend through the wall ofthe chamber.

In a preferred method, the mixture of air and water entering each fluid outlet is travelling in a direction different from the direction in which the water in that mixture was propelled outwards. When a rotor is provided,thefluid outlets are preferably disposed around the rotor.

From a third aspect the present invention consists in fluid supply meansforaeratinga bath, comprising apparatus according to the second aspect ofthe present invention, a power-driven blower for blowing airinto said chamber, meansfor introducing hotwater into the chamber at a controlled rate, and a plurality of tubes, each leading from an associated one of said fluid outlets and for connection to an associated one of said inlet ports.

Such fluid supply means may be supplied as a kit for use in the conversion of a non-aerated bath into an aerated bath.

From a fourth aspect the present invention consists in an aerated bath formed with a plurality of inlet ports and provided with fluid supply means, in accordance with thethird aspect of the present invention, for aerating the bath.

An embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described in more detail, byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure liy a section along the line 1-1 of Figure 2, through apparatus in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2is a plan view ofthe apparatus shown in Figure 1, Figure3is a plan viewsimilarto Figure 2 but with an upper part ofthe apparatus removed to reveal the interior, and Figure 4 is a plan view of a plate constituting part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus illustrated is intended for use in aerating a bath (not shown). The bath itself may be of a conventional shape and form. In its base it is formed thirty two holes arranged in a pattern so asto be distributed over the base ofthe bath whereby no area ofthe base ofthe bath is more than a short distance from at least one hole. The upper wends of metal inlet tubes are secured in the holes and afford fluid inlet ports. One end portion of a flexible tube is attached to a downwardly projecting portion of each inlet tube, belowthe bath.The other end of each of the flexible tubes is attached to an associated outletfitment, which is one of a set of thirty two outletfitments 1 The outletfitments 1 project upwards from a cover 2, the fitments being disposed at uniform intervals and at a uniform distance from a central vertical axis. An annularwall 3, constituting part ofthe cover 2, projects upwards a short distance inside the ring of outletfitments. Aflat, annulartop plate 4 extends inwardsfrom the top ofthewall 3.Atthe middle ofthe top plate ofthe coverthere is an air inlet port surrounded by an upstanding airinlettube 5. A short supporting tube 6 depends from the top plate, around theairinletportandisformedexternallywithan annular groove near its lower end.A water inlet fitment7,similarin construction to each of the outlet fitments 1 is provided on the top plate 4 ofthe cover.

Acircularsprinklerplate8(Figures 1 and4),formed with a central hole, is snapped into engagement with the groove in the supporting tube 6. The outer edge of the plate 8 is so shaped as to abuttightlythe inside face of the annularwall 3. A ring of frusto-conical water inlet holes 9 is formed in the sprinkler plate.

The cover 2 is secured to a base plate 10 by means of screws orotherfixings (not shown) passing through aligned holes in lugs 11 which projectoutwardsfrom the cover and the base plate. An O-ring 12 trapped between the cover and the base plate serves as a seal to prevent fluid escaping between them. Near its periphery, the base plate 10 is formed with thirty two uniformly spaced, radially extending grooves 13. The outer end portion of each ofthose grooves is of rounded shape and is disposed immediately beneath an associated one of the outletfitments 1.

The lower end portion of a steel spindle 14is mounted in a boss 15 atthe middle ofthe base plate 10, an O-ring 16 around it preventing the escape of fluid by way ofthe boss. The upper end ofthe spindle 14 is pointed and serves as a pivotfor a rotor 17. The spindle projects into a central tubular portion 18 of the rotor that is closed at its upper end. A rotor disc 19 projects outwards from the lower end ofthe tubular portion 18 and, as can be best seen in Figure 3, is formed near its centre with a ring of holes 20. Between the ring of holes and the periphery, the disc is provided with a plurality of fan blades 21 which are arcuate in plan view.The rotor 17 is freely rotatable on the spindle 14 and is disposed in a chamber 22 bounded principally by the sprinkler plate 8, the annularwall 3, andthe base plate 10.

In use, the apparatus illustrated is mounted on the floor as close as possible to the bath. Conveniently it may be mounted beneath the bath. The air inlettube 5 is connected to an electrically-powered blower (not shown) and the water inlet fitting 7 is connected by way of a regulating valve (not shown) to a supply of hot water. This is conveniently the same supply of hot water that is used for supplying hotwaterto a hottap ofthe conventional kind by means of which water can be run intothe bath.The regulating valve may be preset to supply water at a constant, predetermined rate or it may be arranged to enable hotwaterto be supplied at any of a numberof different rates, as selected bythe user.

When the bath is partially full ofwaterandthe apparatus is in use, airfrom the blower flows through the chamber22, entering throughttheairinlettube 5 and supporting tube6 and leaving bywayofthefluid outletfitments 1. In its passage through the chamber 22the air engages the fan blades 21 andcausesthe rotor 17 to rotate. At the same time, water from the water inletfitting 7 enters a space between the sprinkler plate8 and thetop plate 4 and passes from that space by way ofthe water inlet holes 9 into the chamber 22. There itfallsontothe rotor 17 and is propelled outwards by the rotary forces applied to it andforms relativelysmall drops.Some ofthe drops are carried by the air directly into the grooves 13 and thence into the outletfitments 1. Others ofthe drops may strike the wall ofthe chamber and form a film before being carried by the flow of air into the grooves and the outletfitments. Either way, the water is distributed around the chamber 22 and is discharged from the chamberthrough the outletfitments 1. It will be appreciated that the mixture of air and water entering each outletfitment 1 is travelling in a direction substantiallu at right angle to the radial direction in which thewaterwas propelled outwards bythe rotor 17. The mixture of air and waterthen passes th rough the flexible tubes attached to the outletfitments 1 and enters the bath through the holes in the bath. It is found that the drops of watertendto ofwatertend to be blown along the flexible tubes in separate drops whichengagethewallsofthetubes.Owingtothe symmetry of the apparatus about the rotor axis the average quantity of water flowing along each of the flexible tubes in a given period oftime is substantially uniform. In orderthe equalize the resistance afforded by each oftheflexibletubesthosetubes may be all of the same length.

In a modified form of apparatus the sprinkler plate 8 is omitted and the hot water is introduced in the chamberthroughtheairinlettube5. Itisfoundthat even if the waterfalls on a portion ofthe rotor 17 7 offset a shortwayfrom the axis of rotation thereof, the distribution of drops as between one outletfitment and another remains substantially uniform. Moreover if the apparatus is reorientated so that the spindle 14 is horizontal, that also has little effect on the even distribution of drops as between one outletfitment and another.

in an additional modification the hot water is introduced into the stream of incoming air some distance upstream ofthe chamber. In that case the water can be metered intemittently into the air stream by means of a solenoid-operated valve. By the time the water reaches the chamber, the temporal fluctuations in waterflow have been largely smoothed out so thatthe user is unaware of them.

Numerous other modifications are possible. For example the apparatus may be mounted on legs above thefloor,the fluid outlest extenting downwards from the base ofthe apparatus, and the grooves 13 being omitted. In either design the rotor may be power-driven, and in particular may be driven by the same motorthat drives the blower. In another variant the rotor is of cup-like shape, and water fed to the middle ofthe cup is propelled outwards and upwards, the resultant drops leaving the chamber through fluid outletfitments at or nearthe top of the chamber.

Alternatively the water may be introduced into the chamberatthe bottom ofthechamberand may be caused to flow in a thin film up the outside surface of the cup before being propelledfrom it. Yetagain,a rotor may be omitted entirely and the air be intro ducedintothechambertangentiallysothatitis causedto swirl around the chamber and propelthe water outwards to form drops.

Claims (18)

1. A method of mixing airandwaterforsupplyto a plurality of fluid inlet ports in an aerated bath, in which method air and waterarefed into a chamber,the water is subjected to rotary forces causing or assisting in causing itto be propelled outwards and to be distributed around the chamber and a resultant mixture of air and water is discharged from the chamberthrough a pluralityoffluid outlets into a plurality of fluid ways leading to said fluid inlet ports in the bath.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which air fed into the chamberswirls round the chamber without the aid of any moving part or parts in the chamber, and water fed into the chamber is entrained by the swirling air and is propelled outwards by it.

3. Amethodaccordingto claim 1 in which water fed into the chamber is propelled outwards by a rotor rotating in the chamber.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which the rotor is power-driven.

5. A method according to claim 3 in which rotation ofthe rotor is caused or assisted by the flow of air through the chamber.

6. A method according to any one ofthe preceding claims in which the mixture of air and water entering each fluid outlet is travelling in a direction different from the direction in which the water in that mixture was propelled outwards.

7. A method according to any one ofthe preceding claims in which the water is propelled outwards in a substantially horizontal direction.

8. A method of mixing air and waterforsupplyto a pluralityoffluid inlet ports in an aerated bath, substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatusfor use in mixingairandwaterfor supplytoapluralityofinletports in an aerated bath, which apparatus comprises a chamberwith an inlet or inlets for air and water, means for causing water in the chamberto be subjected to rotary forces causing or assisting in causing itto be propelled outwards andto be distributed around the chamber and a plurality of fluid outlets through which a resultant mixture of air andwatercan be discharged from the chamber, the outlets opening into or being adapted to open into a plurality of associated fluid ways leading to said inlet ports in the bath.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the means for causing the water to be subjected to rotary forces comprises a rotatable rotor inside the chamber.

11. Apparatus according to claim lOin which the rotor is caused to rotate or is assisted in its rotation, in use, bytheflow ofairthrough the chamber.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the chamber has an inletforairwhich is aligned with an axis of rotation ofthe rotor, and the rotor is provided with fan formations such that, in use, air entering the chamberthrough said inlet flows towards an inner part of the rotor and from there flows outwards, its resulting engagement with the fan formations causing or assisting the rotation ofthe rotor.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 10to 12 in which there are a pluralityofinletsforwater entering the chamber, those inlets being so disposed that, in use, water entering the chamberthrough those inlets contacts the rotor at locations disposed around the rotor.

14. Apparatus accordingtoany one of claims 10to 13 in which saidfluid outlets are disposed around the rotor.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 14 in which each of said fluid outlets is so shaped and disposed that, in use, the mixture ofair and water entering each fluid outlet is travelling in a direction different from the direction in which the water in that mixture was propelled outwards.

16. Apparatusforusein mixingairandwaterfor supply to a plurality of inlet ports in an aerated bath, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. Fluid supply meansforaerating a bath,comprising apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 9 to 16, a power-driven blowerfor blowing air intosaidchamber,meansforintroducing hotwater into the chamber at a controlled rate, and a plurality of tubes, each leading from an associated one of said fluid outlets and for connection to an associated one of said inlet ports.

18. An aeriated bath formed with a plurality of inlet ports and provided with fluid supply means in accordance with claim 17.