[0001] This invention refers to an innovative bath having ultrasonic hydromassaging means.
[0002] It is well-known that there are baths comprising a hydromassage system achieved by
recirculating water sucked up from the inside of the bath, mixed with air and returned
to the bath through nozzles to impinge upon immersed parts of the body of the user
and create ample areas of turbulence around them.
[0003] The general scope of this invention is to provide an innovative hydromassage bath
which practically and effectively provides a micromassaging action produced by generation
of ultrasonic waves.
[0004] This scope is achieved, according to the invention, by providing a hydromassage bath
comprising, in combination, disposed on the surface of the bath, a plurality of nozzle
which emits jets of water for a macromassage action and a distributed plurality of
transducer elements which emit ultrasonic waves for a micromassage action; hydromassage
bath characterized by the fact that said bath is at least partially made of material
transparent to ultrasounds, the transducer elements being fitted on the external wall
of said bath with their ultrasound emitting face directed towards the inside of said
bath through the thickness of said bath itself.
[0005] The innovative principles of this invention and its advantages compared to the known
technique will be more clearly evident from the following description of a possible
exemplificative embodiment applying such principles, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
- figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a hydromassage bath
applying the innovative principles of the invention;
- figure 2 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic transducer
usable in the bath of figure 1.
[0006] With reference to the figures, figure 1 shows a schematic view of a bath, generically
indicated by reference 10, advantageously comprising a known hydromassage system composed
of apertures 11 for intake and emission of water, mixed with air, disposed between
the intake and delivery of a pump 12. A system of this kind, together with its control
circuits, is easily imaginable by the expert in the field and therefore will not be
further described or shown herein. The bath further comprises the conventional accessories
such as drain, overflow, etc. The bath can be advantageously made of plastic material,
for example, composite material, with supporting structure made of metal tubes, as
will be obvious to the expert in the field.
[0007] Innovatively, facing on to the inner surface of the bath are ultrasonic transducers
13 which emit ultrasounds in the internal volume of the bath. The transducers, for
example of the piezoelectric type, are disposed in such a way as to be submerged when
the bath is filled and are advantageously distributed so as to generate a generically
uniform ultrasonic intensity in the water in the bath.
[0008] For example, they can be evenly distributed along the lateral wall of the bath and
if necessary on the bottom of it.
[0009] To operate, the transducers are connected to a pilot circuit 14, which generates
pilot voltages with a suitable pattern. The circuit 14 is also advantageously connected
to a control panel 15, for example with a keyboard and associated display, which enables
the user to control the various functions of the bath, such as modulating the power
emitted by the transducers and obtaining information on its operation, with emission
of optic and/or acoustic signals. The control circuit 14 can be a known generator
of electric signals of suitable frequency. The control panel is also of substantially
known technique, for example with a suitably programmed microprocessor, and can control
both the ultrasonic massage system and the conventional hydromassage system. Both
the pilot circuit 14 and the control circuit 15 are per se well know to the expert
in the field and will therefore not be further described or shown herein, since they
are easily imaginable by the expert, especially in the light of the following operative
description.
[0010] Advantageously, the bath is also fitted with an ultrasonic microphone 16 connected
to the control circuit to detect the ultrasonic waves emitted by the transducers.
The control circuit can thus modulate the power emitted by the transducers in relation
to the signals picked up by the microphone element. For example, the microphone 16
can perform a safety function as well as that of checking the operation of the ultrasonic
system. In fact, the control circuit can shut off the generator and warn the user
in the event of irregular operation of the system whenever the microphone fails to
detect a level of ultrasounds above a threshold which is pre-established as being
the minimum for efficient operation of the system (for example due to breakdown of
the generator or because the bath is not filled with a sufficient amount of water
to cover the emitters properly). Moreover, the control circuit can shut off the generator
and warn the user of irregular operation of the system whenever the microphone detects
a level of ultrasounds above a threshold which is pre-established as being the maximum
level of ultrasounds permissible for its use.
[0011] The microphone 16 can be obtained either by means of a special device, or by making
one of the ultrasound emission transducers work "backwards". In this latter case,
it is possible to economize by using the transducer either as an emitter or as a microphone.
Moreover, it is also possible to use several transducers 13 cyclically either as emitters
or as microphones, so as to measure the ultrasonic level in various areas of the bath,
for example in order to have an idea of the spatial power distribution of the ultrasounds
in the volume of water. On the basis of the values measured and correlated to the
spatial power distribution the control circuit can thus modulate the power emitted
by each transducer in order to obtain pre-established ultrasonic power distributions
in the water.
[0012] Figure 2 shows a possible embodiment of a transducer 13.
[0013] The transducer comprises a casing 17 having a rim 18 radially protruding at its front
ultrasonic emitting end.
[0014] The rim 18 is received, with interposition of a gasket 19, in a complementary housing
20 made in the wall 21 of the bath, so that the front end is substantially flush with
the wall of the bath, while the casing of the transducer protrudes rearwardly through
a hole at the rear of the housing 20 and is locked by a ring nut 22.
[0015] Disposed in the casing 17, close to its front end, is the ultrasound emitting element,
for example composed of a known piezoelectric element 23, connected to the device
14 by means of a cable 26. The emitting element can be protected by a screen 24 made
of material transparent to ultrasounds. To the rear of the emitting element 23 the
casing 17 can be filled with shielding material 25 to prevent unnecessary diffusion
of ultrasounds towards the rear.
[0016] In use, it is sufficient to fill the bath with water at least to a level covering
the apertures 11 and the transducers 13 and start up the functions of the bath by
means of the control panel 15.
[0017] For example, one key of the keyboard starts up the conventional hydromassage, while
a second key starts up the ultrasound system. Advantageously, by means of the control
panel it is possible for example to set the duration of the conventional hydromassage
as well as that of the ultrasound micromassage and the operating mode.
[0018] Operating mode is understood for example as being the possibility of adjusting the
operating frequency and/or intensity of the transducers.
[0019] It has been reported that the best results are obtained by offering the possibility
of regulating the emission of the ultrasounds between 0.2MHz and 5MHz, in particular
between 0.5MHz and 3MHz.
[0020] As can be easily imagined by the expert in the field, this can be easily obtained
by appropriately selecting the transducers, so that they can function in the desired
frequency range, and by providing a generator supplying power to the transducers which
has an output frequency that can be regulated between 0.2MHz and 5 MHz, in particular
between 0.5MHz and 3MHz. The regulation for example can either be continuous or achieved
according to fixed steps. Fixed step regulation can be advantageous in order to simplify
the use of the device. In fact, each frequency that can be selected can be indicated
by its use (for example, relaxing, bracing massage, etc.) instead of by its actual
frequency value, thereby making the apparatus easier to use.
[0021] The emission power can be regulated by steps, in the same way as the frequency, between
a maximum and minimum value.
[0022] It has been found that it is preferable to have a power density range in ultrasonic
emission ranging from 0.1W/cm
2 to 3W/cm
2.
[0023] The emission power is obviously divided among the various transducers. For example,
in the event of four transducers it is preferable to have a maximum power value for
each transducer not exceeding 0.5W/cm
2.
[0024] The emission from the various transducers can also be regulated in order to obtain
particular ultrasonic power density conditions in different areas of the bath (for
example, higher in the area of the legs or the chest, etc.), also by using the feedback
of the microphone 16, as described above. Similar adjustments can be made to the conventional
hydromassage system in order to carry out combined treatments (pre-programmed in the
control device 15 or carried out directly by the user).
[0025] As far as the type of of ultrasonic emission is concerned, it has been found that
control of the transducers by the device 14 can be advantageously intermittent instead
of continuous, for example by alternating emission periods and non-emission periods
with a ratio ranging from 1/10 to 1/2, in particular in the region of 1/5. For example,
it is possible to achieve emission periods ranging from 0.1 to 5ms and non-emission
periods ranging from 2 to 10ms.
[0026] Advantageously, the emission periods can have a duration in the region of 1ms and
the non-emission periods can have a duration in the region of 5ms.
[0027] At this point it will be clear that the intended scopes have been achieved, by providing
an innovative hydromassage bath which combines a macromassage with jets of water mixed
with air, as in the case of conventional hydromassage baths, with an ultrasonic micromassage
which can be adjusted both in terms of distribution within the bath and in terms of
power and frequency of the ultrasounds.
[0028] A combination of this kind has been found to be highly effective in obtaining a far
greater relaxing and bracing action than can be obtained in normal baths with just
the conventional hydromassage, the user receiving a massage produced by the stream
of water as well as a massage produced by the component of ultrasonic waves conveyed
by the water itself.
[0029] The foregoing description of an embodiment applying the innovative principles of
this invention is obviously given by way of example in order to illustrate such innovative
principles and should not therefore be understood as a limitation to the sphere of
the invention claimed herein.
[0030] For example, the bath can also comprise a localized ultrasonic hydromassaging device
(in figure 1 schematized in reference 27) of the type described in the co-pendent
patent application on behalf of the same Applicant.
[0031] Moreover, the ultrasonic emission elements can be incorporated in the apertures 11,
so as to limit the number of holes in the bath and reduce the assembling operations.
[0032] In the event of the bath being made entirely or partially of material transparent
to ultrasounds, the transducers can obviously be fitted on the external wall of the
bath with their ultrasound emitting face directed towards the inside of the bath through
the thickness of the bath itself.