Hydrabaths, Inc.

Martech Enterprises, Inc.

Philip E Chalberg

Patrick B Healy

Paul N Kenchel

Manochehr Gordbegli

Kipley R Marks

Patrick B Healey

James P McKnight

Katsumi Kawato

A method and apparatus for mounting an electric water pump adjacent the exterior wall of a bathtub or the like. The pump is fitted with mounting brackets having hooks and a separate mounting stand is provided to received those hooks and thus secure the pump at a desired location. The stand comprises an integral bottom plate and vertical plate preferably at right angles to one another. The vertical plate has numerous hook hanger slots located virtually from the bottom to the top of the plate and provided in numerous columns and rows to receive the hooks on the pump mounting plates. On the illustrated embodiment of the vertical plate there are 90 such hook hanger slots distributed in two spaced sections. A first section receives two hooks from one of the pump mounting brackets and a second section receives two hooks from another of the pump mounting brackets. The spacing between sections corresponds to the spacing between brackets and the spacing between hook hanger slots in each section corresponds to the spacing between hooks on each bracket. The pump may, consequently, be mounted at multiple height locations along a substantial extent of the vertical plate. The multiple columns of slots provide suitable mounting for pumps having different spacing between mounting brackets.

Method and apparatus for mounting an electric water pump

A whirlpool jet assembly has both an articulatable nozzle and a rotary face. The nozzle can be directed over a range of angles to provide a narrow stream of water and air to hit a selected spot. The rotary face is easily installed to fluidly and mechanically engage the end of the nozzle. When so installed, the rotary face sends the stream through at least two canted apertures which thereby generate torque to rotate a rotor in the face. The resultant circularly shaped stream impinges on a larger area. The user can readily install or remove the rotary face to select either configuration.

Whirlpool jet assembly

A centrifugal pump for use in whirlpool bath systems has an offset inlet chamber configured to provide a smooth transition from inlet to impeller which is suitable for one-step injection molding using two opposed molding cores that may be removed from the inlet in opposite directions. The chamber has a double 'D' profile with opposite flattened side surfaces. The cross-sectional area of the chamber decreases progressively between a larger offset inlet aperture and a smaller, centered entrance to the impeller. This configuration improves pumping efficiency while reducing noise.

Self-draining centrifugal pump having an improved inlet

Suction cover for a whirlpool bath

A suction assembly employs an air induction tube to induct air into the recirculating water pump to cause the pump to cease pumping operation when the front face of the assembly is blocked. The induction tube is connected to a bleed path formed between the induction tube and a surrounding coaxial face tube extended into the assembly from the front face. When the face is blocked by hair or the like, water in the induction tube bleeds into the main chamber of the assembly and empties the induction tube. Air is then pulled into the pump, causing the pump to lose prime thereby reducing pump pressure to zero and allowing the hair or other blocking material to be removed. In a preferred embodiment, the induction tube is connected to the air inlet of at least one venturi-type hydromassage jet assembly. The suction assembly employs a spring-loaded induction stem which bears compressively against the interior face of the suction cover, thereby permitting use of conventional suction covers.

Safety suction assembly for use in whirlpool baths and the like

Pump assembly for whirlpool bath systems

A suction assembly employs an air induction tube to induct air into the recirculating water pump to cause the pump to cease pumping operation when the front face of the assembly is blocked. The induction tube is connected to a bleed path formed between the induction tube and a surrounding coaxial face tube extended into the assembly from the front face. When the face is blocked by hair or the like, water in the induction tube bleeds into the main chamber of the assembly and empties the induction tube. Air is then pulled into the pump, causing the pump to lose prime thereby reducing pump pressure to zero and allowing the hair or other blocking material to be removed.

A substantially transparent or open window injection molded plastic security container having an integral locking mechanism comprising a plurality of locking fingers designed to interface with a plurality of locking bars. The locking mechanism is generally inaccessible to a customer without a special key, which is preferably retained in a location inaccessible to customers but accessible to employees of a retail establishment, such as in a location behind a counter. The locking mechanism is designed to be inserted onto a stable, fixed key and then rotated relative to the key, whereby the key provides preselected movement of the fingers to release them from the locking bars and open the security package to release the contents thereof. In preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, an opaque plastic insert member is also provided, having a plurality of slots for permitting the key to be inserted into the locking mechanism, but reducing the likelihood of an unauthorized person observing the manner in which the fingers are retained by the bars when the security package is locked, thereby reducing the opportunity of unauthorized opening thereof. A preferred embodiment of the invention is implemented with a removable locking mechanism that may be retained by a retail sale or rental establishment even though the container is properly taken by the customer with audio or video media therein.

Security container for display of audio and video media

Combined suction assembly and light for a whirlpool bath

An improved combination suction elbow assembly and light assembly for use in conjunction with whirlpool bath systems, wherein the embodiment of the invention shown herein is uniquely configured to provide a light assembly which may be readily removed from the inside of the bathtub for replacement of the bulb. The light assembly of the present invention is configured behind a removable deflector with a light transmissive angled surface. The deflector's angled surface minimizes the effect of the light assembly on flow through the suction elbow. In addition, the removable deflector provides a water tight seal connection to prevent any water from reaching the light assembly. A simple tool in the form of an elongated cylinder, having a plurality of wrench pin keys is disclosed. The keys are adapted to engage wrench pins along the peripheral surface of a flange of the removable deflector to enable easy threading and unthreading of the deflector into the housing from inside the tub, without requiring any access from outside the tub.

Whirlpool bath suction assembly having replaceable tub light therein

Dispenser for lawn care chemicals or the like

An air excitation bath system designed to produce a hydromassage effect in, for example, an ordinary bathtub. The system utilizes an air control serial array of adjustable nozzle assemblies preferably installed on the bottom of the tub to provide the user with means for adjusting the rate and direction of the air flow through the water to massage different parts of the body. The air control system is characterized by at least one and preferably two or more serial arrays of adjustable nozzle assemblies. Each such array is serially interconnected by a plurality of flexible hoses. The respective arrays are interconnected, preferably to a common flexible hose which is in turn connected to an air blower through at least one safety loop and a check valve. Each nozzle assembly is provided with a cap, a body and a foot as well as an additional check valve located between the cap and the body. The cap and the body are specially configured to permit adjustability of air flow from either substantially off to substantially full flow and also provide means for directing air flow laterally along the surface of the floor of the tub and/or vertically toward the top surface of the water. An especially novel feature of the present invention is the design of a nozzle foot which is positioned beneath the tub floor and is provided with a unique low profile configuration to substantially minimize the space required beneath the tub.

Air excitation hydromassage system

A unitary apparatus combines the pneumatic switch and air control functions of separate conventional devices thereby eliminating the requirement to put two separate devices in a jetted whirlpool bath or spa. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein. In each such embodiment, in addition to the pneumatic pump there is an air control body joined to a threaded body, the latter housing an air outlet and a push tube positioned concentrically within a rotatable face member. The push tube provides a button the depression of which activates the air pump using a pneumatic pulse. The face provides a means for controlling the whirlpool action generated at the output of a plurality of Venturi jets attached to the system. The face is substantially resistant to removal which would expose an easily removable plunger tube, tapered ring and other small members of the invention. This latter feature makes it necessary to fully depress the push tube before it becomes possible to disassemble the face from the remainder of the apparatus. In one embodiment the air pump is configured to permit its replacement from the interior of the tub without requiring access to the tub exterior.

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Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America

Philip E Chalberg