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(11) | EP 4 098 825 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | SWIMMING POOL ARRANGEMENT FOR ICE SWIMMING |
| (57) The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a bounded airspace (1) provided
with a water pool, the indoor temperature of which is arranged to be adjustable. The
arrangement comprises temperature means (3, 7) for adjusting the temperature of the
airspace (1) to be lower than the temperature of the water in the water pool (2) .
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[0001] The object of the invention is an arrangement provided with a water pool as defined in the preamble of claim 1. By means of the arrangement that is the object of the invention, it is possible to engage in ice swimming throughout the year.
[0002] It is known to engage in ice swimming outdoors in natural bodies of water in wintertime. Ice swimming generally means a 30-60 second plunge into a hole made in the ice covering a body of water. Swimming in ice-free conditions, when the water temperature is below +10°C, is called winter swimming. Many people plunge into an outdoor hole in the ice to relieve pain. Sportspeople, for their part, dip in a hole made in the ice to recover from hard exertion. There are also a large number of people who have become addicted to the endorphins forming from ice swimming. Access to summertime ice swimming is not known.
[0003] Health resorts and indoor swimming pools are known to have cold plunge pools. The temperature of the water in these pools is approx. +6°C. This temperature is too warm for ice swimmers, and the same benefits are not received from the water as from the water of approx. 0°C in holes in the ice outdoors. Furthermore, the pools are situated in warm indoor spaces. Going into cold water from a warm indoor space feels worse than from a cold outdoor space.
[0004] The aim of the present invention is to provide conditions corresponding to ice swimming by means of a simple arrangement provided with a water pool. The arrangement according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.
[0005] For implementing its purpose, the arrangement according to the invention comprises at least a bounded airspace provided with a water pool, the indoor temperature of which airspace is arranged to be adjustable. The indoor temperature of the airspace is arranged to be adjustable to be lower than the temperature of the water in the water pool. The indoor temperature of the airspace is preferably lower than the temperature of the water in the water pool.
[0006] The greatest advantage of the invention can be considered to be that it enables ice swimming throughout the year, also in other seasons than winter. In Finland there are approx. 200,000 ice swimmers, and in recent times the sport has increased in popularity amongst young people. The invention enables ice swimming, and the benefits obtained from it, also in warmer countries, such as Spain, Italy and South Africa. Another advantage, among others, is that the conditions are always the same in the arrangement according to the invention, and e.g. rain, snow or strong wind is not an obstacle to entering the water in conditions corresponding to an outdoor hole in the ice. A further advantage is that entering cold water from an airspace that is colder than the water does not feel so bad as from a space warmer than the water.
[0007] The invention will be described in more detail by the aid of an embodiment with reference to the attached diagrammatic and simplified drawings, wherein
- Fig. 1
- presents a cross-sectioned side view of one arrangement according to the invention, and
- Fig. 2
- presents the floor plan of the arrangement according to Fig. 1.
[0008] In the following the structure and operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the aforementioned drawings.
[0009] Figs. 1-2 present a preferred arrangement according to the invention. The arrangement comprises at least a bounded airspace 1 and a water pool 2 as well as first temperature means 3 for maintaining the temperature of the airspace 1 at between -30...+10°C, suitably -18...+2°C and preferably - 12...-8°C, and second temperature means 7 for maintaining the temperature of the water in the water pool 2 at between - 2...+3°C, suitably -1.5...+2°C and preferably -1...+1°C. One preferred embodiment can be such wherein the temperature of the water of the water pool 2 is close to freezing point, e.g. ±1°C, and the temperature of the airspace 1 is approx. 10±2°C lower than the temperature of the water.
[0010] The airspace 1, in this embodiment hereinafter also cold room, comprises a base, walls and a roof, which are preferably thermally insulated. The arrangement also preferably comprises a wind chamber 4. One wall of the cold room 1 is provided with a thermally-insulated door 5, which opens into the wind chamber 4. The wind chamber 4 comprises a base, walls and a roof, and one wall is provided with an outer door 6.
[0011] The first temperature means 3 comprise at least a refrigeration system 3a with a control system and temperature sensors. The refrigeration system 3a is preferably disposed below the base of the cold room 1. The well-insulated cold room 1 is cooled by means of the refrigeration system to a target temperature of approx. - 12°C. At the same time, the water pool cools to a target temperature of approx. 0±1°C. Thus only one refrigeration system 3a is needed in the arrangement to keep both the air of the airspace 1 and also the water of the water pool 2 at their target temperatures.
[0012] The second temperature means 7 comprise at least a circulation arrangement for the water of the water pool 2, which arrangement is arranged to move the water of the water pool 2 in such a way that the water circulates in the pool at a speed that prevents freezing of the water. Connected to the water circulation arrangement are one or more nozzles 8 feeding water into the pool 2, which nozzle(s) 8 is/are disposed in the top part of the wall 2b of the water pool 2. A nozzle 8 is adapted to feed water into the water pool 2 obliquely in relation to the inside surface of the wall 2b of the pool, suitably at an angle of 0-60 degrees, preferably at an angle of 0-45 degrees. In a pool with a curving wall, an angle of zero degrees in relation to the inside surface of the wall 2b of the pool is the same as the direction of the tangent, which from the point of view of the circulation efficiency is a good direction for the input angle. Preferably the circulating water is fed into the pool in the top part 2c of the wall 2b. Water fed onto the surface of the water in this way forms one or more eddies circulating the pool 2, which prevents freezing of the water. The water circulation arrangement comprises a pump circulating the water in the pool 2 as well as a circulating water reservoir 7a, which is preferably disposed below the base of the cold room 1. Preferably the water circulation arrangement also comprises a water purification apparatus with the necessary filters.
[0013] The second temperature means 7 preferably also comprise a temperature regulation arrangement for the water, by means of which the water of the water pool 2 can, if necessary, be warmed to prevent freezing of the water. The temperature regulation arrangement can comprise e.g. one or more heating resistors and one or more sensors measuring the temperature of the water, either from the water pool 2 or from the water piping of the circulation arrangement, which sensor(s) is/are in connection with the control & adjustment system of the temperature regulation arrangement.
[0014] The water pool 2, hereinafter also cold pool 2, is preferably essentially cylindrical. The surface area of the base of the cold pool is suitably 5-12 m2, preferably 7-10 m2, and the volume is suitably 6-14 m3, preferably 8-12 m3. The cold pool 2 is preferably approx. 1.2 m deep and it is filled with water. In addition to the water circulation arrangement and temperature regulation arrangement, the arrangement according to the invention preferably also comprises a thermally-insulated lid 2a, with which the cold pool 2 is covered to prevent freezing of the water when the pool is not in use. In Fig. 1, for the sake of clarity, the lid 2a is presented detached and above the pool 2.
[0015] The walls of the cold room 1 are preferably of such a height that the roof is sloping downwards from the end adjacent to the outer door towards the opposite end at a pitch of 1:40. Thus, rainwater and snow do not remain on the roof but instead flow down to the ground along the sloping roof. The base of the cold room 1 is preferably approx. 10-20 m2 in size.
[0016] Preferably the arrangement also comprises audio-visual means for creating and presenting various soundscapes and/or video landscapes, such as wintertime soundscapes and video landscapes. On the ceiling and/or walls of the cold room 1 there can be one or more large display screens for presenting e.g. the aurora borealis and suitable winter landscapes. and the arrangement can comprise one or more loudspeakers for creating various soundscapes that can also be associated with visual presentations on display screens.
[0017] The arrangement can also comprise an alarm system monitoring the most important vital functions of a customer for assuring his/her safety, the system comprising e.g. a smart device, provided to the customer for measuring e.g. pulse rate, blood pressure and/or temperature. The smart device can be in wireless contact with a control room suited to the purpose, the control room taking appropriate action if an alarm occurs.
[0018] It should be noted that although this description is limited to only one type of example for realizing the invention, i.e. embodiment, this does not however imply any intent to limit use of the invention to be applicable solely to this type of embodiment, but instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive concept defined by the claims.
1. Arrangement comprising a bounded airspace (1) provided with a water pool, the indoor
temperature of which airspace is arranged to be adjustable, characterized in that the arrangement comprises temperature means (3, 7) for adjusting the temperature
of the airspace (1) to be lower than the temperature of the water in the water pool
(2).
2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the airspace (1) is thermally insulated, and in that the temperature of the airspace (1) is arranged to be maintained at between -30...+2°C
and the temperature of the water in the water pool (2) at between -2...+3°C by the
aid of the temperature means (3, 7).
3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the first temperature means (3) comprise a refrigeration system (3a) with a control
system and temperature sensors, and the second temperature means (7) comprise a circulation
arrangement for the water of the water pool (2), which circulation arrangement is
arranged to move the water of the water pool (2) in such a way that freezing of the
water is prevented.
4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that on the top part of the wall (2b) of the water pool (2) are one or more nozzles (8)
feeding water into the pool, which nozzle(s) is/are connected to the water circulation
arrangement.
5. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that a nozzle (8) is adapted to feed water into the water pool obliquely in relation to
the inside surface of the wall (2b) of the pool.
6. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that arrangement comprises a temperature regulation arrangement for preventing freezing
of the water in the water pool (2).
7. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arrangement comprises audio-visual means for creating various soundscapes and/or
video landscapes, such as wintertime soundscapes and video landscapes.
8. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arrangement comprises one or more alarm systems monitoring the vital functions
of the customer.