# US 2014/0194797 A1 · Steam physiotherapy apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0194797 A1
- Document ID: US20140194797A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/734,037
- Filed: 2013-01-04
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: Ping Ping LIN; Hung-Lieh CHEN
- Inventors: Hung-Lieh CHEN
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194797A1

## CPC

- A61H 33/066: {Cabins therefor}
- A61H 2033/068: {Steam baths}
- A61H 2033/141: {with ionised gas, e.g. ozone}
- A61H 2035/004: {for the whole body except the head}
- A61H 2203/0431: in 90°/90°-position, like on a chair
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)

## Abstract

A steam physiotherapy apparatus includes an open-topped physiotherapy chamber having a door, a steam generating unit, and a steam pipe for conveying generated steam into the physiotherapy chamber. Tourmaline tiles are attached to an inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber, a steam inlet pipe is provided on a bottom of the physiotherapy chamber to communicate with the steam pipe, and a steam flow guide plate is placed on the steam inlet pipe. The steam inlet pipe has two diametrically opposite steam outlets directed to two opposite directions, such that the steam flowing out of the two steam outlets forms a swirl that moves upward along the inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber to heat the tourmaline tiles. The heated tourmaline tiles release far infrared rays and negative ions that help reducing reactive oxygen species and free radicals in the user's body and help the user to give off deep-layer sweat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steam physiotherapy apparatus, comprising a physiotherapy chamber for a user to sit therein, a steam generating unit for generating steam, and a steam pipe for conveying the generated steam into the physiotherapy chamber, being characterized in that:
the physiotherapy chamber is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an open top and a door openably closing an entrance thereof; a plurality of tourmaline tiles is densely and uniformly distributed on an inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber, a steam inlet pipe is provided in the physiotherapy chamber on a bottom thereof to communicate with the steam pipe, and a steam flow guide plate is placed on a top of the steam inlet pipe with an annular space left between the steam flow guide plate and the inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber to allow the steam to flow upward via the annular space; and that
the steam inlet pipe has two steam outlets that are horizontally extended to two diametrically opposite points close to the inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber around the bottom thereof, and the two steam outlets have open terminal ends directed to two opposite directions, such that the steam flowing out of the two steam outlets forms a swirl that overflows the steam flow guide plate via the annular space and moves upward along the inner surface of the physiotherapy chamber to thereby heat the tourmaline tiles provided thereon;
wherein the heated tourmaline tiles can release far infrared rays that have the ability to permeate the user's skin, and negative ions that can deeply enter the user's body with the help of the permeating ability of the far infrared rays; and
both the far infrared rays and the negative ions can reduce reactive oxygen species and free radicals in the user's body as well as help the user to give off deep-layer sweat.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tourmaline tiles contain a type of natural pyroelectric mineral powder, which, when being heated, will release negative ions and far infrared rays.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a top cover for removably closing the open top of the physiotherapy chamber, and the top cover being provided with a sideward opening, via which the user's head can upward extend to expose to an outer side of the physiotherapy chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physiotherapy chamber is manufactured into an upper body portion and a lower body portion; and the door being provided on the upper body portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a hoop, which is tightened around a joint between the upper and the lower body portion to simultaneously cover a lower edge of the upper body portion and an upper edge of the lower body portion, so as to prevent the upper and the lower body portion from moving laterally relative to each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physiotherapy chamber is internally provided with a chair for the user to sit thereon.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physiotherapy chamber has a peripheral wall, which defines a variable inner diameter gradually increasing from bottom to top, and the inner diameter at the open top of the physiotherapy chamber is reduced again to form a narrowed neck portion on the physiotherapy chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The steam physiotherapy apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steam flowing out of the two steam outlets of the steam inlet pipe swirls counterclockwise.