Plumbing fixtures for a spa

A spa, comprising:

• a shell configured to contain a volume of water;
• a water supply manifold positioned behind the shell;
• a jet pack having an array of nozzles for directing pressurized jets of water and/or air into the volume of water;
• and
• a through bulkhead connector extending through the shell and fluidly interconnecting the water supply manifold with the jet pack, the through bulkhead connector having a first fitting member having a flange with a first face and a second face opposing the first face, a U-shaped rib formed on an outer periphery of the second face and an overhang portion formed on all of the U-shaped rib that extends inward over the second face to define a central planar surface formed about a first passageway that is bounded by the U-shaped rib with a U-shaped slot formed in the flange underneath the overhang portion, the planar surface extending uniformly from an open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib about the first passageway to an inner wall of the U-shaped rib, with an entry to the U-shaped slot accessed through the open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib, and an adapter portion extending outward from the first face of the flange and defining the first passageway through the adapter portion and the flange from the first face to the second face, the flange being integral with the adapter portion, and a second fitting member including a cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end with a second passageway formed through the cylindrical body portion from the first end to the second end, and a shoulder adjacent to the second end, the shoulder including a first shoulder segment at the second end and a second shoulder segment formed on the first shoulder segment, the first shoulder segment having a diameter larger than a diameter of the second shoulder segment, the shoulder being integral with the cylindrical body portion;
• wherein the shoulder of the second fitting member being slidably receivable in the U-shaped slot in the flange of the first fitting member for connecting the second fitting member with the first fitting member, wherein an axial end face of the first shoulder segment is slidably receivable in the U-shaped slot at the open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib, the axial end face of the first shoulder segment traveling transversely and directly across the planar surface, over the first passageway and along the inner wall of the U-shaped rib until further movement through the U-shaped slot is impeded by the U-shaped rib, the axial end face of the first shoulder segment secured therein by the overhang portion, and wherein the second shoulder segment travels along an inner wall of the overhang portion of the U-shaped rib as the first shoulder segment is inserted in the U-shaped slot at the open-ended portion and slid transversely and directly across the planar surface, a side surface of a portion of the second shoulder segment abutting against a side surface of the overhang portion upon full insertion of the first shoulder segment in the U-shaped slot without further movement therein, and wherein a closed end of the U-shaped slot in the flange functions as a position stop restraining sliding movement of the shoulder portion of the second fitting member within the slot.

A method of fluidly connecting a jet pack having an array of nozzles with a water and/or air supply manifold, comprising the steps of:

• providing a water and/or air supply manifold with a first fitting member having a flange with a first face and a second face opposing the first face, a U-shaped rib formed on an outer periphery of the second face and an overhang portion formed on all of the U-shaped rib that extends inward over the second face to define a central planar surface formed about a first passageway that is bounded by the U-shaped rib with a U-shaped slot formed in the flange underneath the overhang portion, the planar surface extending uniformly from an open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib about the first passageway to an inner wall of the U-shaped rib, with an entry to the U-shaped slot accessed through the open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib, and an adapter portion extending outward from the first face of the flange and defining the first passageway through the adapter portion and the flange from the first face to the second face;
• providing a jet pack having an array of nozzles with a second fitting member including a cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end with a second passageway formed through the cylindrical body portion from the first end to the second end, and a shoulder adjacent to the second end, the shoulder including a first shoulder segment at the second end and a second shoulder segment formed on the first shoulder segment, the first shoulder segment having a diameter larger than a diameter of the second shoulder segment;
• and
• sliding the shoulder of the second fitting member into the U-shaped slot in the flange of the first fitting member to align the first passageway and the second passageway so as to provide fluid communication between the water and/or air supply manifold with the jet pack, wherein an axial end face of the first shoulder segment is slidably receivable in the U-shaped slot at the open-ended portion of the U-shaped rib, the axial end face of the first shoulder segment traveling transversely and directly across the planar surface, over the first passageway and along the inner wall of the U-shaped rib until further movement through the U-shaped slot is impeded by the U-shaped rib, the axial end face of the first shoulder segment secured therein by the overhang portion, and wherein the second shoulder segment travels along an inner wall of the overhang portion of the U-shaped rib as the first shoulder segment is inserted in the U-shaped slot at the open-ended portion and slid transversely and directly across the planar surface, a side surface of a portion of the second shoulder segment abutting against a side surface of the overhang portion upon full insertion of the first shoulder segment in the U-shaped slot without further movement therein;
• wherein the flange of the first fitting member is integral with the adapter portion of the first fitting member;
• wherein the shoulder of the second fitting member is integral with the cylindrical body portion of the second fitting member;
• and
• wherein the U-shaped slot in the flange includes a closed end that serves as a position stop restraining sliding movement of the shoulder of the second fitting member within the slot.