Granted Patent B2

US 9,526,672 · App. 14/592,303 · Granted Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A jet fitting for a bathing vessel for holding bathing water, comprising:

a body portion defining a hollow main body portion having an interior opening, and a connection portion having a passageway in communication with the interior opening, the connection portion including at least one connection port for attachment to a hose carrying pressurized water, and a flange portion defining a recessed mount surface inside a peripheral lip surrounding a recess, the peripheral lip at a mounting surface side of the body portion and defining a lip edge configured to contact a wall of the vessel, with at least one open region defined in the peripheral lip to allow excess adhesive applied to the mount surface within the recess to escape during installation of the air jet to the wall of the vessel;

wherein the body portion is a unitary one-piece structure without requiring separate multi-piece portions assembled with annular seals or threads;

a nozzle member constructed as a separate structure from the unitary one-piece structure of the body portion, the nozzle member configured to be fitted into the interior opening from the mounting surface side of the body portion and seated against a shoulder surface within the interior opening defined by the body portion, the nozzle member having a nozzle orifice, the nozzle orifice configured for concentric mounting relative to a single tub hole formed in the wall of the vessel to allow air or water to pass from the connection port through the central opening and through the nozzle orifice into the tub hole and into the interior of the vessel, the nozzle member configured to be in contact with the wall of the vessel surrounding the hole during the installation to prevent flow of adhesive into the hole during the installation, and wherein the nozzle member is fixed in position within the separate unitary structure of the body portion during use; and

wherein no fitting attachment features are visible from the interior of the vessel after installation of the body portion to the exterior surface of the vessel wall.

2. The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is connected to a water supply source.

3. The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the connection portion includes a first connection portion with a first connection port and a second connection portion with a second connection port in a general T-shaped configuration and define a “V” shaped configuration relative to each other, and wherein the configuration provides a self-draining effect when the fitting is mounted to the side of the vessel with the first and second connection portions disposed in upward directions.

4. The fitting of claim 1 , wherein the unitary one-piece structure is an injection-molded part fabricated from a plastic material.

5. A jet fitting for a bathing vessel for holding bathing water, comprising:

a body portion defining a hollow main body portion having an interior plenum, at least one water port in fluid communication with an inlet water passageway and configured for connection to a water supply, a jet water passageway communicating between the inlet water passageway and the interior plenum at a distal jet water passageway end, an air inlet port in communication with an air passageway, the air passageway having a distal end in communication with the interior plenum, the air inlet port configured for attachment to a hose connected to ambient air, and a flange portion defining a recessed mount surface inside a peripheral lip surrounding a recess, the peripheral lip at a mounting surface side of the body portion and defining a lip edge configured to contact a wall of the vessel, with at least one open region defined in the peripheral lip to allow excess adhesive applied to the mount surface within the recess to escape during installation of the jet fitting to the wall of the vessel;

wherein the body portion is a unitary one-piece structure without requiring separate multi-piece portions assembled with annular seals or threads;

a nozzle member constructed as a separate structure from the unitary one-piece structure of the body portion, the nozzle member configured to be fitted into the interior plenum from the mounting surface side of the body portion and seated against a shoulder surface within the interior opening defined by the body portion, the nozzle member having a nozzle orifice configured for concentric mounting relative to a single vessel hole formed in the wall of the vessel to allow water and entrained air from the at least one water port and the air inlet port to pass into the vessel hole and into the interior of the vessel, the nozzle member configured to be in contact with the wall of the vessel surrounding the hole during the installation to prevent flow of adhesive into the hole during the installation, and wherein the nozzle member is fixed in position within the separate unitary structure of the body portion during use;

wherein no fitting attachment features are visible from the interior of the vessel after installation of the body portion to the exterior surface of the vessel wall; and

the jet is configured to produce a stream of water exiting from the nozzle orifice which is entrained with air bubbles, created by a venturi effect wherein water passing from the inlet water passageway through the jet waterway and into the interior plenum draws ambient air from the air passageway into the plenum, mixing air bubbles with the water, the water and entrained air bubbles exiting the jet through the nozzle orifice into the vessel.

6. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein the at least one water port includes first and second water ports arranged in a “V” shaped configuration relative to each other, and wherein the configuration provides a self-draining effect when the fitting is mounted to the side of the vessel with the first and second water ports oriented in upward directions.

7. The fitting of claim 6 , wherein the first and second water ports are disposed at distal ends of respective first and second hollow tube portions which meet at a joint, with the inlet water passageway defined through the first and second tube portions.

8. The fitting of claim 7 , wherein the air passageway is defined in a third hollow tube portion, extending transversely with respect to a center axis of the fitting, and wherein the fitting is configured to be installed to a bathing installation tub wall with the third hollow tube portion in a vertical orientation.

9. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein the nozzle member is press fit into the interior plenum.

10. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein the flange portion has a diameter of less than about 1.25 inch, and the main body portion has a height of less than about 2.0 inches.

11. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein the unitary one-piece structure is an injection-molded part fabricated from a plastic material.

12. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein said jet water passageway is transverse to the inlet water passageway and tangentially intersects a wall defining the inlet water passageway.

13. The fitting of claim 5 , wherein the body portion further includes at least one protrusion between the peripheral lip and the interior opening to reduce the volume of the recess and the amount of adhesive for installation of the fitting to the wall of the vessel.

14. A bathing installation comprising:

a tub for holding water during use;

a plurality of water jets connected in a recirculating water flow path to direct water from jet nozzles into the tub interior in a jetting mode, wherein the plurality of water lets are daisy chained together in the recirculating water flow path by tubing sections;

a pump connected in the recirculating water flow path to pump water through the recirculation water flow path, the path including a suction fitting in the tub wall to draw water from the tub and to the pump during pump operation;

an air blower connected to the recirculating water flow path through a valve, and configured to blow air through the jets, the recirculating water flow path, the pump and the suction fitting with the pump turned off to expel water from the jets, the recirculating water flow path, the pump and the suction fitting during a blower mode.

15. The bathing installation of claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of water jets comprises:

a body portion defining a hollow main body portion having an interior plenum, at least one water port in fluid communication with an inlet water passageway and configured for connection to a water supply, a jet water passageway communicating between the inlet water passageway and the interior plenum at a distal jet water passageway end, an air inlet port in communication with an air passageway, the air passageway having a distal end in communication with the interior plenum, the air inlet port configured for attachment to a hose connected to ambient air, and a flange portion defining a recessed mount surface inside a peripheral lip surrounding a recess, the peripheral lip at a mounting surface side of the body portion and defining a lip edge configured to contact a wall of the vessel, with at least one open region defined in the peripheral lip to allow excess adhesive applied to the mount surface within the recess to escape during installation of the jet fitting to the wall of the vessel;

wherein the body portion is a unitary one-piece structure without requiring separate multi-piece portions assembled with annular seals or threads;

a nozzle member constructed as a separate structure from the unitary one-piece structure of the body portion, the nozzle member configured to be fitted into the interior plenum from the mounting surface side of the body portion and seated against a shoulder surface within the interior opening defined by the body portion, the nozzle member having a nozzle orifice configured for concentric mounting relative to a single vessel hole formed in the wall of the vessel to allow water and entrained air from the at least one water port and the air inlet port to pass into the vessel hole and into the interior of the vessel, the nozzle member configured to be in contact with the wall of the vessel surrounding the hole during the installation to prevent flow of adhesive into the hole during the installation, and wherein the nozzle member is fixed in position within the separate unitary structure of the body portion during use;

wherein no fitting attachment features are visible from the interior of the vessel after installation of the body portion to the exterior surface of the vessel wall; and

the jet is configured to produce a stream of water exiting from the nozzle orifice which is entrained with air bubbles, created by a venturi effect wherein water passing from the inlet water passageway through the jet waterway and into the interior plenum draws ambient air from the air passageway into the plenum, mixing air bubbles with the water, the water and entrained air bubbles exiting the jet through the nozzle orifice into the vessel.

16. The bathing installation of claim 15 , wherein the at least one water port includes first and second water ports arranged in a “V” shaped configuration relative to each other, and wherein the configuration provides a self-draining effect when the fitting is mounted to the side of the vessel with the first and second water ports oriented in upward directions.

17. The bathing installation of claim 14 , wherein the tubing sections have an inner diameter smaller than 1 inch.

18. The bathing installation of claim 17 , wherein the inner diameter of the tubing sections is ¾ inch.

19. A bathing installation comprising:

a tub for holding water during use;

a plurality of water jets connected in a recirculating water flow path to direct water from jet nozzles into the tub interior in a jetting mode;

a pump connected in the recirculating water flow path to pump water through the recirculation water flow path, the path including a suction fitting in the tub wall to draw water from the tub and to the pump during pump operation;

an air blower connected to the recirculating water flow path through a valve, and configured to blow air through the jets, the recirculating water flow path, the pump and the suction fitting with the pump turned off to expel water from the jets, the recirculating water flow path, the pump and the suction fitting during a blower mode; and

wherein each of said plurality of water jets comprises:

a body portion defining a hollow main body portion having an interior plenum, at least one water port in fluid communication with an inlet water passageway and configured for connection to a water supply, a jet water passageway communicating between the inlet water passageway and the interior plenum at a distal jet water passageway end, an air inlet port in communication with an air passageway, the air passageway having a distal end in communication with the interior plenum, the air inlet port configured for attachment to a hose connected to ambient air, and a flange portion defining a recessed mount surface inside a peripheral lip surrounding a recess, the peripheral lip at a mounting surface side of the body portion and defining a lip edge configured to contact a wall of the vessel, with at least one open region defined in the peripheral lip to allow excess adhesive applied to the mount surface within the recess to escape during installation of the jet fitting to the wall of the vessel;

wherein the body portion is a unitary one-piece structure without requiring separate multi-piece portions assembled with annular seals or threads;

a nozzle member constructed as a separate structure from the unitary one-piece structure of the body portion, the nozzle member configured to be fitted into the interior plenum from the mounting surface side of the body portion and seated against a shoulder surface within the interior opening defined by the body portion, the nozzle member having a nozzle orifice configured for concentric mounting relative to a single vessel hole formed in the wall of the vessel to allow water and entrained air from the at least one water port and the air inlet port to pass into the vessel hole and into the interior of the vessel, the nozzle member configured to be in contact with the wall of the vessel surrounding the hole during the installation to prevent flow of adhesive into the hole during the installation, and wherein the nozzle member is fixed in position within the separate unitary structure of the body portion during use;

wherein no fitting attachment features are visible from the interior of the vessel after installation of the body portion to the exterior surface of the vessel wall; and

the jet is configured to produce a stream of water exiting from the nozzle orifice which is entrained with air bubbles, created by a venturi effect wherein water passing from the inlet water passageway through the jet waterway and into the interior plenum draws ambient air from the air passageway into the plenum, mixing air bubbles with the water, the water and entrained air bubbles exiting the jet through the nozzle orifice into the vessel.

20. A bathing installation comprising:

a tub for holding water during use;

a plurality of water jets connected in a recirculating water flow path to direct water from jet nozzles into the tub interior in a jetting mode, wherein the recirculating water flow path comprises a plurality of tubing sections;

a pump connected in the recirculating water flow path to pump water through the recirculation water flow path, the path including a suction fitting in the tub wall to draw water from the tub and to the pump during pump operation;

an air blower connected to the recirculating water flow path through a check valve, and configured to blow air through the jets, the recirculating water flow path, the pump and the suction fitting with the pump turned off to expel water from the jets, from the recirculating water flow path, from the pump and from the suction fitting during a blower mode;

the check valve configured to prevent water from backflowing into the blower during pump operation.

Assignments (8)