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US 10,292,902 B1Granted
Dual plumbing system for a hot tub or spa
AssigneeWexco Incorporated
InventorsSamuel Jeffery Collins, Daniel Jacob Kroll, Scott Stephen Backer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, apparatus and methods for providing air and water to hot tub jets. The present teachings include jet assemblies, manifold assemblies, and related components, as well as methods of assembling hot tubs involving these components. In some cases, the present teachings describe the use of dual extrusion tubing to route air and water through adjacent, connected fluid conduits. In some cases, the present teachings describe a “press-and-click” method of connecting various components.
Claims19
A hot tub plumbing system, comprising:
- a manifold assembly configured to receive separate air and water supply streams and to direct those streams into a water egress port and an air egress port, wherein the air egress port is substantially parallel and adjacent to the water egress port;
- a flexible dual extrusion tube including a first hollow cylindrical portion configured to couple to the water egress port and a second hollow cylindrical portion configured to couple to the air egress port, wherein the first and second hollow cylindrical portions are joined together at peripheral portions;
- a jet back including a pair of adjacent parallel hollow protrusions each configured to receive one of the streams of air and water from a respective one of the hollow cylindrical portions of the dual extrusion tube;
- and
- a jet body configured to receive the streams of air and water from the jet back, to merge the streams of air and water together to form a mixed stream of air and water, and to provide the mixed stream of air and water from an outlet;
- wherein the manifold assembly includes a male manifold adapter including an upstream end configured to couple with a first section of air tubing carrying the air supply stream and with a first section of water pipe carrying the water supply stream, and a downstream end configured to releasably couple with a manifold that includes the water egress port and the air egress port.
3 more elements
A hot tub plumbing system, comprising:
- a manifold assembly configured to receive separate air and water supply streams and to direct those streams into a water egress port and an air egress port, wherein the air egress port is substantially parallel and adjacent to the water egress port;
- a flexible dual extrusion tube including a first hollow cylindrical portion configured to couple to the water egress port and a second hollow cylindrical portion configured to couple to the air egress port, wherein the first and second hollow cylindrical portions are joined together at peripheral portions;
- a jet back including a pair of adjacent parallel hollow protrusions each configured to receive one of the streams of air and water from a respective one of the hollow cylindrical portions of the dual extrusion tube;
- a jet body configured to receive the streams of air and water from the jet back, to merge the streams of air and water together to form a mixed stream of air and water, and to provide the mixed stream of air and water from an outlet;
- and
- a first one-piece clamp configured to hold the dual extrusion tube in water tight engagement with the egress ports of the manifold assembly;
- wherein the clamp defines a pair of contiguous arcuate apertures and a selectively releasable end portion having first and second sets of complementary ratcheting teeth configured to be engaged with each other upon compression of the end portion.
4 more elements
A hot tub plumbing system, comprising:
- a manifold configured to receive separate air and water supply streams and to channel the streams into a water egress port and an air egress port;
- a flexible dual extrusion tube including a first tubular portion configured to couple to the water egress port and a second tubular portion configured to couple to the air egress port, wherein the first and second tubular portions are joined together in a figure-eight configuration;
- a jet back including a pair of adjacent parallel hollow protrusions each configured to receive one of the streams of air and water from a respective one of the tubular portions of the dual extrusion tube;
- and
- an end cap configured to couple with a downstream end of the manifold and to cap a water conduit and at least one air conduit of the manifold at the downstream end of the manifold, thereby preventing air and water from passing through the downstream end of the manifold.
2 more elements
A hot tub plumbing system, comprising:
- a manifold configured to receive separate air and water supply streams and to channel the streams into a water egress port and an air egress port;
- a flexible dual extrusion tube including a first tubular portion configured to couple to the water egress port and a second tubular portion configured to couple to the air egress port, wherein the first and second tubular portions are joined together in a figure-eight configuration;
- a jet back including a pair of adjacent parallel hollow protrusions each configured to receive one of the streams of air and water from a respective one of the tubular portions of the dual extrusion tube;
- and
- a female manifold adapter including an upstream end configured to couple with a downstream end of the manifold, and a downstream end configured to deliver water to a section of water pipe and to deliver air to a section of air tubing.
2 more elements
A hot tub plumbing system, comprising:
- means for receiving air and water supply streams and directing at least a first portion of those streams into substantially parallel and adjacent water and air egress ports;
- a flexible dual extrusion tube including a first hollow cylindrical portion having a first end configured to couple to the water egress port and a second hollow cylindrical portion having a first end configured to couple to the air egress port, wherein the first and second hollow cylindrical portions are joined together at peripheral portions;
- means for receiving the streams of air and water from second ends of the hollow cylindrical portions of the dual extrusion tube;
- means for merging the streams of air and water together to form a mixed stream of air and water;
- means for providing the mixed stream of air and water to an outlet;
- and
- means for directing a second portion of the air and water supply streams into at least one water pipe and at least one air tube.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.