Cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam

Abstract

 A cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam, comprising steam feeding means (5) and at least one steam diffuser (6) located in an inner compartment (4) of the cabin and fed by the steam feeding means (5), the diffuser (6) comprising a containment body (8) which is open at least at the top, an upper closing element (15) substantially mounted at an upper part of the containment body (8) in such a way that between them at least one slit (16) is formed which puts in communication the inside of the containment body (8) and the surrounding environment, and at least one steam dispenser (17) which is fed by the steam feeding means (5) and located inside the containment body (8) below the closing element (15). A steam dispensing device comprising the feeding means (5) and the diffuser (6) is also claimed.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam, such as a Turkish bath. Treatment cabins usually consist of a containment structure, the inside of the structure forming a compartment to which one or more people can gain access through a door. People normally make use of suitable benches inside the compartment.

[0002] Cabins which use steam generally comprise steam feeding means (which may or may not also comprise a steam generator), which through suitable ducts supply the steam to a plurality of dispensing outlets which, in most applications, are inserted in the containment structure above or below the benches.

[0003] Therefore, in practice, the steam is introduced into the cabin in the form of a plurality of jets which extend substantially horizontally.

[0004] However, this prior art technology has several disadvantages.

[0005] First, the arrangement of the various dispensing outlets may cause discomfort for the user, since the steam jets are usually positioned at the user's legs.

[0006] Second, with prior art cabins it is quite complex to clean and sanitise the steam ducts, since they are inserted in a fixed fashion in the thickness of the walls formed by the containment structure.

[0007] For the same reason, even any maintenance work is relatively complicated.

[0008] In many applications, before introducing steam into the cabin, it may be important to mix it with the air already present in the cabin.

[0009] According to the prior art solutions, that involves a considerable complication of cabin construction, since it calls for the preparation of a suitable circuit for air intake and its injection into the flow of steam.

[0010] In this context the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to provide a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0011] In particular, the technical purpose of this invention is to provide a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam in which the steam is dispensed without the risk of causing discomfort for the user.

[0012] Another technical purpose of this invention is to provide a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam in which operations for cleaning, sanitising and maintaining the various ducts involved in the flow of steam are simplified compared with prior art cabins.

[0013] Also, the technical purpose of this invention is to provide a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam in which the steam can be mixed with air already present in the cabin in a simpler way than in prior art cabins.

[0014] The technical purpose specified and the aims indicated are substantially achieved by a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam as described in the appended claims.

[0015] Further features and the advantages of this invention are more apparent in the detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several preferred, nonlimiting embodiments of a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam, in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic side view, partly in cross-section (limited to the cabin containment structure), of a cabin made in accordance with the invention, operatively associated with a steam generator;
• Figure 2 is a cross-section of the cabin of Figure 1 according to the line II - II;
• Figure 3 is an axonometric view, partly in cross-section and with some parts cut away to better illustrate others, of a detail of the cabin of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a vertical section of the detail of Figure 3 according to the plane IV - IV;
• Figure 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a part of the detail of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a vertical section of a part of the detail of Figure 4 according to the plane VI - VI;
• Figure 7 is a vertical section of the part of Figure 6 according to the plane VII - VII; and
• Figure 8 is a plan view of a different part of the detail of Figure 4.

[0016] With reference to the accompanying drawings the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam, made in accordance with this invention.

[0017] Similarly to prior art cabins, the cabin 1 according to this invention also comprises a containment structure 2 fitted with an access door 3, the inside of the structure forming a compartment 4 for accommodating one or more people. The structure 2 is schematically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, where only the containment structure 2 forming the lateral walls and the roof of the cabin 1 is shown in cross-section.

[0018] The cabin 1 is equipped with steam feeding means 5 which feed the steam to at least one steam diffuser 6 located in the compartment 4 inside the containment structure 2. Figure 1 also schematically indicates a steam generator 7 which feeds the steam to the feeding means 5. Depending on the embodiments, the generator 7 may either be an integral part of the cabin 1 (and for example be mounted in a suitable technical zone which is of the known type and therefore not illustrated in detail), or it may be an element which is separate from the cabin 1.

[0019] According to this invention, the steam diffuser 6 is not a recessed outlet as in the prior art solutions, but instead, as shown in particular in Figure 3, it comprises a device positioned/mounted inside the compartment 4.

[0020] The diffuser 6 comprises first a containment body 8 which is open at least at the top, which in the embodiment illustrated has the external shape of a hollow cylinder. However, it could have any shape depending on requirements (for example, a parallelepiped).

[0021] Figures 6 and 7 show the containment body 8 sectioned vertically at the halfway point. As can be seen, in the embodiment illustrated, it mainly has a cylindrical shape and, at its upper portion, the inner wall is fitted with an annular shelf 9 whose purpose is described below. The containment body 8 also comprises, both a front opening 10 and, at the back, a recess 11 extending upwards from the lower edge. Both the front opening 10 and the rear recess 11 are also associated with holes 12 (which may or may not be through holes) which may be either threaded or smooth. As is described in more detail below, in the embodiment the opening, the recess 11 and the holes 12 are designed to allow the containment body 8 to be fixed to supporting structure 13 which is fixed to a bench 14 inside the cabin 1.

[0022] Associated with the containment body 8 there is an upper closing element 15 which is substantially mounted at an upper part of the containment body 8. Although in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 the closing element 15 is mounted in the upper part of the containment body 8, in other embodiments it could be mounted either precisely at the open upper end of the containment body 8 or slightly above it as illustrated for example in Figure 5.

[0023] In any case, between the closing element 15 and the containment body 8 at least one slit 16 is formed, which puts into communication the inside of the containment body 8 and the surrounding environment (inside the cabin 1). In the preferred embodiment the slit 16 extends in an annular fashion (not necessarily circular), around the entire closing element 15. In contrast, in other embodiments, it may only extend at one or more stretches of the border of the closing element 15. In general, based on the position of the closing element 15 and the containment body 8 relative to each other, the slit 16 may extend in a substantially horizontal plane about the closing element 15 (Figure 4) and/or vertically between the closing element 15 and the containment body 8 (Figure 5).

[0024] According to this invention, the diffuser 6 comprises at least one steam dispenser 17 fed by the steam feeding means 5 and located inside the containment body 8. In particular, the steam dispenser 17 is located below the closing element 15, more or less distanced from it.

[0025] In this way, during cabin 1 operation, the steam comes out of the steam dispenser 17 and is spread first in the space between the inside of the containment body 8 and the closing element 15; then, through the slit 16, it can come out of the diffuser 6 and be introduced into the compartment 4.

[0026] In order to allow the steam dispenser 17 to be fed, the steam feeding means 5 advantageously extend from the outside of the cabin 1 to the inside of the containment body 8. In particular, in the embodiment illustrated, they comprise a pipe 18 having at least a first end 19 in fluid communication with the steam generator 7, and a second end 20 to which the steam dispenser 17 is connected. The pipe 18 is mounted through the containment structure 2 in such a way that its first end 19 is outside the containment structure 2. Depending on the embodiments, the pipe 18 may comprise a single body or a plurality of pieces which are removably coupled to each other.

[0027] In the embodiment illustrated, in particular, the pipe 18 comprises three parts: a horizontal first part 21 mounted through a lateral wall of the cabin 1 formed by the containment structure 2, and a T-shaped second part 22 with a first stretch 23 coupled by means of a male - female coupling to the first part 21, and a second stretch 24 and a third stretch 25 which are axially aligned along a substantially vertical axis and which are positioned on opposite sides of the first stretch 23.

[0028] The second stretch 24 is connected by a further male - female coupling to a third part 26 of the pipe 18 which in turn forms the second end 20 of the pipe 18. The dispenser 17 is associated with the third part 26. The dispenser in turn advantageously comprises a tubular element removably associated by a male - female coupling with the second end 20 of the pipe 18 and comprises one or more passages 27 for the outflow of steam through its lateral surface. In particular, in the embodiment illustrated the passages 27 are obtained by making the steam dispenser 17 in the form of a cylindrical grille.

[0029] The third stretch 25 of the pipe 18 in contrast forms an intake inlet 28 designed to suck air from the environment surrounding the diffuser 6, for mixing it with the steam. Advantageously, in order to suck in air with a stack effect, the intake inlet 28 is made at the lower end of the third stretch 25 which forms a secondary stretch of the pipe 18. At the same time, the containment body 8 is also open at the bottom (thus forming a substantially tubular structure) in such a way as to allow the fluid connection between the compartment 4 and the intake inlet 28.

[0030] As shown in the accompanying drawings, in the preferred embodiment the upper closing element 15 is supported directly by the steam dispenser 17. In more detail, the upper closing element 15 is mounted in such a way as to close the tubular element which forms the steam dispenser 17. Advantageously, in the embodiment illustrated, the various elements are sized in such a way that the closing element 15 and the steam dispenser 17 are removable through the open upper part of the containment body 8.

[0031] In the preferred embodiment, the diffuser 6 also comprises at least one divider element 29 mounted in the containment body 8 for dividing it into two superposed parts. Advantageously, the divider element 29 comprises a flat disk which is pierced at the centre to allow the passage of the pipe 18, and whose periphery rests on the shelf 9 made in the inner part of the containment body 8. In this way, once the dispenser 17 and the closing element 15 have been removed, the divider element 29 may also be removed through the open upper part of the containment body 8. Preferably, the dispenser 17 is positioned on such a way that the passages 27 it forms are located in the part of the containment body 8 positioned above the divider element 29, in such a way as to dispense the steam in it.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated, the diffuser 6 also comprises one or more lighting elements 30 mounted inside the containment body 8. Preferably, the lighting elements 30 (only one of which is illustrated in Figure 4, another being positioned specularly) are positioned below the divider element 29. Moreover, at the same time, the divider element 29 is at least partly made of transparent material (glass) or semi-transparent material (such as frosted glass). Depending on the embodiments, the closing element 15 may also be made of a transparent or semi-transparent material. Preferably, the lighting elements 30 can generate various shades of colour.

[0033] As already indicated and as seen in particular in Figures 3 and 4, in the preferred embodiment the diffuser 6 is mounted through a seat of a bench 14 located inside the compartment 4 in the cabin 1, and is at least partly supported by the bench 14. Moreover, advantageously, the bench 14 is positioned close to the wall of the cabin 1 and the feeding means 5 pass through the wall at a height lower than that of the bench 14 seat, in such a way that they are substantially hidden from view (if necessary, also using a suitable cantilever-style cover 31 which is fixed to the bench 14 - only illustrated in Figures 3 and 4).

[0034] In more detail, the stretch of bench 14 illustrated in Figure 3 is a stretch of seat which in the embodiment illustrated is mounted in such a way that it is suspended, being fixed at the ends to two further corner benches 46 which are equipped with legs. However, it shall be understood that said configuration in no way limits the scope of the invention, even as regards the detail of mounting of the diffuser 6 on the benches.

[0035] Advantageously, the containment body 8 of the diffuser 6 is supported by the bench 14 supporting frame 32, by means of the suitable supporting structure 13 visible in plan view in Figure 8.

[0036] The bench 14 frame 32 illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a perimetric framework 33 with rectangular plan, strengthened by two bars 34 parallel with the short sides and positioned a predetermined distance away from them. The supporting structure 13 is positioned in the rectangle formed by the parallel bars 34 and by the long stretches of the framework 33. The supporting structure comprises first an L-shaped rectangular profile 35 which is fixed, for example using screws, bolts or welding to the perimetric framework 33 and comprising a larger front side 36 and a larger rear side 37. Two shaped projections extend horizontally inwards from a central zone of the larger sides of the profile. In particular, it comprises a smaller projection 38 with rectangular plan which is fixed to the larger front side 36, and a larger projection 39, having a fork-shape in plan view, which is fixed to the larger rear side 37.

[0037] The larger projection 39 and the smaller projection 38 respectively comprise two rear flanges 40 and one front flange 41 which are vertical, pierced and positioned substantially along a circle having the same radius as the inner part of the containment body 8. In fact, during assembly, the latter is positioned with the rear recess 11 across the shank 42 of the fork formed by the larger projection 39 behind the two related flanges, and then is moved forward in such a way that the smaller projection 38 is partly inserted in the front opening 10 and the front flange 41 is also positioned inside the containment body 8. At that point the containment body 8 rests on the projections with the upper sides of the recess 11 and of the front opening 10. Moreover, at the point, the holes 12 in the containment body 8 are aligned with those made in the flanges 40, 41 and the containment body 8 can be fixed to the flanges using screws (not illustrated).

[0038] In turn, the two arms 43 of the fork formed by the larger projection 39 form two housings 44 for the lighting elements 30. Moreover, once the diffuser 6 is assembled, the steam feeding pipe 18 passes in the space between them.

[0039] Finally, the bench 14 seat is formed by a covering surface 45 which has a hole shaped to match the containment body 8.

[0040] Operation of the cabin 1 according to this invention derives immediately from the description of the structure above.

[0041] In particular, when steam must be supplied inside the cabin 1, in the known way the feeding means 5 are activated which through the pipe 18 supply steam to the dispenser 17 which releases the steam towards the compartment 4 through the slit 16. By regulating the steam flow rate and temperature it is possible to determine the quantity of air sucked in by the stack effect through the intake inlet 28. In the most complete embodiments, thanks to the use of lighting elements 30 able to generate various shades of colour, it is possible to complete the steam-based treatment with a colour therapy treatment. Finally, the positioning of the lighting elements 30 in the containment body 8 allows the creation of special spectacular effects.

[0042] In the embodiment illustrated, when the steam dispensing system needs cleaning, the following can simply be removed in the order indicated: the steam dispenser 17, the closing element 15, the divider element 29, the third part 26 of the pipe 18 and the second part 22 of the pipe 18.

[0043] The dispenser 17 and the second part 22 of the pipe 18 can then be easily cleaned. The first part 21 of the pipe 18 can also be easily cleaned by accessing it either from the inside or from the outside of the cabin 1.

[0044] Finally, it should be noticed that, although chiefly intended for a cabin of the type described above, this invention also relates to solely the steam dispensing device comprising the diffuser and the feeding means described above. In fact, such a device may be used independently of a cabin, for example in the context of a room dedicated to use as a Turkish bath.

[0045] This invention brings important advantages.

[0046] First, this invention provides a cabin in which steam dispensing occurs without the risk of discomfort for the user.

[0047] Indeed, thanks to fact that the steam is first released inside the containment body, its dispensing towards the inside of the compartment through the slit takes place at reduced speed, thus substantially creating a rising column.

[0048] Second, in the embodiment illustrated, operations for cleaning, sanitising and maintaining the various ducts involved in the flow of steam are absolutely simplified compared with prior art cabins.

[0049] Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the diffuser allows the steam to be mixed with the air already present in the cabin in a much simpler way than in prior art cabins.

[0050] Finally, it should be noticed that this invention is relatively easy to produce and that even the cost linked to implementing the invention is not very high.

[0051] The invention described above may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

[0052] Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted with other technically equivalent elements and the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the various components, may vary according to requirements.

Claims

1. A cabin for wellbeing treatments using steam, comprising a containment structure (2) fitted with an access door (3), the inside of the structure forming a compartment (4) for accommodating one or more people, steam feeding means (5) and at least one steam diffuser (6) located in the compartment (4) and fed by the steam feeding means (5), the diffuser (6) comprising:

a containment body (8) which is open at least at the top and is mounted in the compartment (4);

an upper closing element (15) substantially mounted at an upper part of the containment body (8);

a slit (16) which puts into communication the inside of the containment body (8) and the surrounding environment;

and at least one steam dispenser (17) fed by the steam feeding means (5) and located inside the containment body (8) below the closing element (15);

the steam feeding means (5) also comprising a pipe (18) having at least a first end (19) which can be connected to a steam generator (7), and a second end (20) to which the steam dispenser (17) is connected;

during operation the steam coming out of the steam dispenser (17) into the space between the inside of the containment body (8) and the closing element (15), and from there through the slit (16) towards the outside of the diffuser (6); and

characterised in that the slit (16) is formed between the closing element (15) and the containment body (8), and also in that the pipe (18) also comprises an intake inlet (28) for sucking air from the surrounding environment.

2. The cabin according to claim 1, characterised in that the dispenser (17) comprises a tubular element associated with the second end (20) of the pipe (18) fed by the steam feeding means (5) and equipped with one or more passages (27) for the outflow of steam through its lateral surface.

3. The cabin according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the containment body (8) is also open at the bottom, forming a substantially tubular structure, and also being characterised in that the intake inlet (28) is made in a secondary stretch of the pipe (18) extending downwards.

4. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the steam dispenser (17) is removably mounted on the second end (20) of the pipe (18).

5. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the pipe (18) is mounted through the containment structure (2) with the first end (19) outside the containment structure (2).

6. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the upper closing element (15) is partly inserted in the containment body (8), the annular slit (16) extending in a substantially horizontal plane about the closing element (15).

7. The cabin according to any of the claims from 1 to 5, characterised in that the upper closing element (15) is located above the containment body (8), and also being characterised in that the annular slit (16) extends vertically between the closing element (15) and the containment body (8).

8. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the upper closing element (15) is supported directly by the steam dispenser (17).

9. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the closing element (15) and the steam dispenser (17) are removable through the open upper part of the containment body (8).

10. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the diffuser (6) also comprises at least one divider element (29) mounted in the containment body (8) for dividing it into two superposed parts, the dispenser (17) being positioned with its passages (27) in the upper part in such a way as to release the steam in it.

11. The cabin according to claim 9, characterised in that the diffuser (6) also comprises at least one divider element (29) mounted in the containment body (8) for dividing it into two superposed parts, the dispenser (17) being positioned with its passages (27) in the upper part in such a way as to release steam in it, and also being characterised in that the divider element (29) is removable through the open upper part of the containment body (8), once the steam dispenser (17) and the closing element (15) have been removed.

12. The cabin according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the diffuser (6) also comprises one or more lighting elements (30) mounted inside the containment body (8) below the divider element (29), and also being characterised in that the divider element (29) is at least partly made of transparent or semi-transparent material.

13. The cabin according to any of the claims from 1 to 11, characterised in that the diffuser (6) also comprises one or more lighting elements (30) mounted inside the containment body (8).

14. The cabin according to claim 13, characterised in that the closing element (15) is at least partly made of transparent or semi-transparent material.

15. The cabin according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the diffuser (6) is mounted through a seat of a bench (14) located inside the compartment (4), and is at least partly supported by the bench (14).

Drawing