IP Library Granted Patent US 8,141,181
Granted Patent B2
US 8,141,181 · App. 11/950,163 · Granted Mar 27, 2012

Neck jet pillow for whirlpool tub or spa

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,141,181
App. No.
11/950,163
Granted
Mar 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A neck jet pillow for a spa or whirlpool tub removably mountable. The pillow has a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof, a first mounting member fixedly mountable onto a fluid jet, a second mounting member fixedly attached to the pillow and slidably and removably mountable onto the first mounting member, and a hole in the second mounting member coinciding with the membrane area whereby the jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of the membrane area. The first and second mounting members, when mounted together and onto the pillow and jet, define a water-tight cavity there between having a jet inlet and a discharge opening whereby spent fluid from the jet is discharged downward into the tub or spa. The mounting members may be sliding members.

Claims (55)

1. A neck jet pillow for a jetted spa or whirlpool tub with at least one fluid jet comprising:

a pillow member comprising a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof,

a first mounting member fixedly mountable onto said jet,

a second mounting member fixedly attached to the pillow and readily and removably mountable onto said first mounting member while said first mounting member is fixedly mounted onto said jet,

a hole in said second mounting member coinciding with said membrane area whereby said jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of said membrane area,

said backside of said membrane area and said first and second mounting members defining a cavity there between with a jet inlet and a discharge opening; and

wherein said discharge opening is a single opening at an edge of said cavity and said cavity is otherwise substantially water-tight.

2. The neck jet pillow of claim 1 wherein said opening discharges fluid downward into the tub or spa.

3. A neck jet pillow for a jetted spa or whirlpool tub with at least one fluid jet comprising:

a pillow member comprising a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof,

a first mounting member fixedly mountable onto said jet,

a second mounting member fixedly attached to the pillow and readily and removably mountable onto said first mounting member while said first mounting member is fixedly mounted onto said jet,

a hole in said second mounting member coinciding with said membrane area whereby said jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of said membrane area,

said backside of said membrane area and said first and second mounting members defining a cavity there between with a jet inlet and a discharge opening; and

wherein said pillow has an aperture, said membrane protrudes through said aperture, and said membrane is attached to said second mounting member thereby sealing said hole.

4. A neck jet pillow for a jetted spa or whirlpool tub with at least one fluid jet comprising:

a pillow member comprising a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof,

a first slide member fixedly mountable onto said jet,

a second slide member fixedly attached to the pillow and slidably and removably mountable onto said first slide member while said first slide member is fixedly mounted onto said jet,

a hole in said second slide member coinciding with said membrane area whereby said jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of said membrane area,

said backside of said membrane area and said first and second members defining a cavity there between with a jet inlet and a discharge opening; and

wherein said discharge opening is a single opening on one edge of said cavity and said cavity is otherwise substantially water-tight.

5. The neck jet pillow of claim 4 wherein said opening discharges fluid downward into the tub or spa.

6. The neck jet pillow of claim 5 wherein said downward discharge occurs below the normal water level in the tub or spa.

7. The neck jet pillow of claim 4 wherein said pillow has an aperture, said membrane protrudes through said aperture, and said membrane is attached to said second member thereby sealing said hole.

8. The neck jet pillow of claim 7 wherein said membrane attachment to second member is by means of adhesive or by mechanical attachment means or both.

9. The neck jet pillow of claim 4 wherein said slide members are of rigid, structural material; said pillow is of soft, foam material; and said membrane is of relatively thin, non-porous, flexible material.

10. The neck jet pillow of claim 9 wherein said structural material is plastic, PVC, or ABS; said foam material is closed-cell polymeric foam and water proof; and said flexible material is polymeric, elastomeric, or rubber.

11. The neck jet pillow of claim 4 wherein said second slide member is attached to said pillow permanently by means of adhesive, weld, or mechanical attachment means.

12. The neck jet pillow of claim 4 wherein said first slide member has a hole and is attached to said jet and thereby to said tub or spa by means of said jet having a threaded body and a bulkhead flange, said threaded body adapted to pass through said hole in first slide member and a matching hole in a surface of said tub or spa, said flange being pulled tight against said first slide mount and thereby said slide member being pulled tight against said surface as a nut is tightened onto said threaded body.

13. A neck jet pillow system comprising a neck jet pillow and a neck jet;

said pillow comprising:

pillow member comprising a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof,

a first mounting member fixedly mountable onto said jet,

a second mounting member fixedly attached to the pillow and readily and removably mountable onto said first mounting member while said first mounting member is fixedly mounted onto said jet,

a hole in said second mounting member coinciding with said membrane area whereby said jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of said membrane area,

said backside of said membrane area and said first and second mounting members defining a cavity there between with a jet inlet and a discharge opening; and said jet comprising a bulkhead fitting comprising a flange and a fastener; and

wherein said discharge opening is a single opening on one edge of said cavity adapted to discharge fluid downward into the tub, and said cavity is otherwise substantially water-tight.

14. A whirlpool tub or spa comprising:

a tub wall;

at least one jet mountable to the tub wall; and

a neck jet pillow comprising:

a pillow member comprising a soft membrane area occupying a central portion thereof,

a first mounting member fixedly mountable onto said jet,

a second mounting member fixedly attached to the pillow and readily and removably mountable onto said first mounting member while said first mounting member is fixedly mounted onto said jet and while said jet is fixedly mounted onto said tub wall,

a hole in said second mounting member coinciding with said membrane area whereby said jet can direct a fluid stream onto the backside of said membrane area,

said backside of said membrane area and said first and second mounting members defining a cavity there between with a jet inlet and a discharge opening; and

wherein said discharge opening is a single opening on one edge of said cavity adapted to discharge fluid downward into the tub, and said cavity is otherwise substantially water-tight.

15. The tub of claim 14 wherein said first and second mounting members are first and second slide members.

16. The tub of claim 15 wherein said pillow has an aperture, said membrane protrudes through said aperture, and said membrane is attached to said second member thereby sealing said hole.

17. The tub of claim 16 wherein said downward discharge occurs below the normal water level in the tub or spa.

18. The tub of claim 14 wherein

said first mounting member has a jet hole,

said tub wall has a matching hole, and

said jet has a body adapted to pass through said jet hole and matching hole, a bulkhead flange, and a attachment device adapted to engage said body and to hold said flange, first mounting member and said tub wall tightly together.

Assignments (16)
SECURITY AGREEMENT (2L NOTES) Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: AMERICAN BATH GROUP, LLC; AQUATIC CO.; ATMOS PROJECT, LLC; BATH AUTHORITY, LLC; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; COASTAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; MAAX SPAS INDUSTRIES CORP.; SWAN SURFACES, LLC; PROJECT SOAK, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072261/0051 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jul 8, 2025
From: AMERICAN BATH GROUP, LLC; AQUATIC CO.; ATMOS PROJECT, LLC; BATH AUTHORITY, LLC; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; COASTAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; FLORESTONE, LLC; MAAX SPAS INDUSTRIES CORP.; MAAX US CORP.; SWAN SURFACES, LLC; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC; PROJECT SOAK, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071864/0833 →
SUCCESSION OF AGENCY (PATENT SECURITY INTERESTS) Recorded May 13, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS RESIGNING AGENT
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 071284/0391 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2020
From: AMERICAN BATH GROUP, LLC; AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; MAAX SPAS INDUSTRIES CORP.; MAAX US CORP.; SWAN SURFACES, LLC; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC; FLORESTONE, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 054454/0494 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2020
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; MAAX SPAS INDUSTRIES CORP.; MAAX US CORP.; FLORESTONE, LLC; SWAN SURFACES, LLC
Reel/Frame 054448/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2020
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; MAAX SPAS INDUSTRIES CORP.; MAAX US CORP.; FLORESTONE, LLC; SWAN SURFACES, LLC
Reel/Frame 054448/0014 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 3, 2016
From: AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 040206/0367 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 3, 2016
From: AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 040207/0915 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2016
From: BNP PARIBAS
To: AQUATIC CO.; BOOTZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; THE PRAXIS COMPANIES, LLC; CLARION BATHWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 039915/0138 →
GRANT OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2015
From: AQUATIC CO.
To: BNP PARIBAS, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 035901/0379 →
TERMINATION OF INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 033501/0001 Recorded Jun 13, 2015
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AQUATIC CO.
Reel/Frame 035908/0586 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2014
From: AQUATIC CO.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 033501/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2014
From: LASCO BATHWARE, INC.
To: AQUATIC CO.
Reel/Frame 033380/0067 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 22, 2014
From: AQUATIC INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: LASCO BATHWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 033364/0580 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 10, 2014
From: CITICORP USA, INC.
To: AQUATIC CO.; THE GATES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GATES MECTROL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; EIFELER MASCHINENBAU GMBH
Reel/Frame 033289/0254 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 10, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AQUATIC CO.; THE GATES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GATES MECTROL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; EIFELER MASCHINENBAU GMBH
Reel/Frame 033290/0631 →