Bathtub with air-water injection system
OwnerScott A. Smith, James Riewe +1inventors
InventorsScott A. Smith, James Riewe, Michael Faulstich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bathtub having a water pump and heater for heating and circulating water from the bathtub to at least one mixing chamber, an air blower and heater for delivering heated ambient air to the mixing chamber, and a plurality of orifices for delivering an air-water mixture from the mixing chamber to the bathtub. A wall of the mixing space may be associated with a wall of the bathtub, and the orifices may be in the wall providing direct fluid communication between the mixing space and the tub. The invention provides improved thermal stability and eliminates evaporative cooling effects in air-injected tubs.
Claims16
A bathtub comprising:
- at least one mixing chamber;
- a water pump and heater for heating and circulating water from said bathtub to said at least one mixing chamber;
- an air blower and heater for delivering heated ambient air to said mixing chamber;
- and
- a plurality of orifices in fluid communication with said mixing chamber for delivering an air-water mixture from said mixing chamber into said bathtub.
A bathtub with an air-water injection system comprising:
- an external mixing chamber with at least one air supply inlet and at least one water supply inlet, a plurality of orifices through one or more bathtub walls, and fluid communication means between said mixing chamber and said orifices for conducting an air-water mixture from said mixing chamber into said bathtub.
A method comprising:
- providing a pressurized, heated water supply to a mixing chamber having at least one water inlet and at least one air inlet;
- providing a pressurized, heated air supply to said at least one air inlet of said mixing chamber;
- mixing said air and said water in said mixing chamber for the longer of at least one-third second and sufficient time for said mixture to approach thermal and vapor-liquid equilibrium;
- injecting said air-water mixture into a bathtub of water through a plurality of orifices provided in a tub wall below the water surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.