GB2095105A

GB2095105A - Steam outlet for a steam bath

Info

Publication number: GB2095105A
Application number: GB8207260A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hoesch & Soehne Kunststoff
Current assignee: Hoesch & Soehne Kunststoff
Priority date: 1981-03-13
Filing date: 1982-03-12
Publication date: 1982-09-29
Also published as: NL189746C; NL189746B; FR2501504B1; FR2501504A1; NL8105080A; DE3109540A1; DE3109540C2; GB2095105B

Abstract

A steam inlet fitting for a steam bath cubicle (7) is formed by a housing defining a deflection chamber (1), which has a steam inlet opening (2) leading into the deflection chamber. At least one steam conduit (5) leads from the deflection chamber (1) into the cubicle and is located above the steam inlet opening (2). A condensate outlet (11) leads from the deflection chamber below the steam inlet opening. The chamber (1) is provided with a conduit (9) which allows the introduction of fragrant material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Steam outlet for a steam bath The invention relates to a steam outlet for a steam bath.

In recent times, owing to the modern materials and techniques of steam generation available, it has become possible to install a steam bath, as known from antiquity, in residential premises in the form of special cubicles or by appropriate fitting out of shower cubicles. Whereas the historic steam baths were characterised by a certain capaciousness, presenting no problems at all for the introduction of the steam there is substantially less space available for a modern steam bath, particularly a steam bath in the form of a cubicle, so that particular attention must be paid to the region in which the steam is introduced into the cubicle, not only from a structural point of view, but also on grounds of safety. Here it is of particular importance that the regions of the cubicle adjacent to the steam outlet do not heat up to such an extent that there is a danger of burning.This is particularly of importance, when owing to the limited space available, the steam outlet has to be arranged in the seating area. For the same reasons, in many cases it cannot be avoided that the steam outlet has to be arranged in regions which can be touched when the cubicle is being used, so that here, too, a design must be provided, which must avoid any risk of injury, be it through overheating, or through the design.

Furthermore, care must be taken that the hot condensate which is being formed is removed in such a way that here, too, the danger of scalding is eliminated.

It is an object of the invention to provide a steam outlet for a steam bath, which substantially meets the requirements outlined above.

According to the present invention there is provided a steam outlet for a steam bath, wherein the outlet comprises a housing defining or formed with a deflection chamber, a steam inlet opening leading into the deflection chamber, at least one steam exit leading from the deflection chamber and located above the steam inlet opening and a condensate outlet leading from the deflection chamber below the steam inlet opening. By means of such a deflection chamber it is possible to allow the steam to issue into the room practically free from condensate, and to separate the condensate flowing in through the steam inlet pipe, as well as any drops of condensate entrained by the steam into the deflection chamber. In addition, it is avoided that, during the heating-up period, condensate deposited directly in the region of the steam outlet, flows into the steam cubicle.The condensate which forms can be removed under control via the condensate outlet through a tube or a condensate collection vessel. Through the arrangement of several diverging steam exits opening into the room, the spread of the steam in the room can be favourably influenced.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the free cross-sectional area of flow of the steam inlet pipe corresponds approximately to the free total cross-sectional area of flow of the steam exit. By means of this arrangement, the steam emerges into the room or cubicle with an appreciable "current", and in this way a good distribution of the steam in the room is ensured, if the generation of the steam takes place in a practically pressureless manner. It is particularly advantageous if in a further embodiment of the invention the steam exit is formed by at least one exit channel pointing obliquely downward, connected to the deflection chamber.

In a preferred embodiment of the present steam outlet, a feed channel for fragrant or other auxiliary substances opens into the steam exit channel.

This arrangement has the particular advantage that the fragrant or other auxiliary substances, generally essential oils, can be administered into the steam which is still hot and, depending upon the nature of the active substance used, can be entrained by the steam and introduced as an aerosol into the room or cubicle with the emerging steam, and become effective. Volatile auxiliary substances or components of such substances, in particular fragrant components, are vaporized owing to the steam temperature which is still high in the region of the steam exit and may therefore become effective immediately on emergence of the steam into the room or cubicle.

In a preferred embodiment, the steam outlet housing is in the form of a block body, in which the steam inlet, deflection chamber and steam exit are formed by respective intersecting bores. A steam outlet formed in such a way is not only able to be manufactured at a favourable cost, but also offers the possibility of a design which is pleasing to the eye, so that not only purely technical, but also aesthetic requirements may be met. The block body can be manufactured from metal or from synthetic materials.

It is particularly preferred that the block body is manufactured from cast acrylic glass (polymethylmethacrylate). This material has a low thermal conductivity, so that the block body may be mounted directly onto the cubicle wall, and in regions where it can be touched by parts of the body, since, owing to its low thermal conductivity, the block body may be touched even after a prolonged period of operation, without there being a danger of scalding. The low thermal conductivity of the acrylic glass has the additional advantage, that in steam cubicles of synthetic material, generally deep-drawn synthetic material parts of acrylic plastics, the steam outlet can also be mounted directly on the wall sections without there being the danger, that the adjacent wall sections become so heated, that they can no longer be touched or else that they deform under the influence of temperature.A particular advantage in the design of the steam outlet as a block body is that a simple, subsequent installation is possible, so that even existing shower cubicles can be converted into steam bath cubicles without appreciable difficulties.

While it is possible, to supply fragrant or other auxiliary substances from a storage container situated outside the cubicle via a valve which may be actuated from inside, or a pump which may be actuated from inside, in one embodiment of a steam outlet designed in the form of a block body a cup-shaped recess is formed on the upper side of the block body for the auxiliary substances and is connected with the feed channel. In order to administer the auxiliary substance, a quantity of substances is placed in the cup-shaped recess, from which it is then slowly withdrawn by the current of steam flowing through the steam exit channel.In this way, costly and complex additional installations for the input of the auxiliary substances can be dispensed with, and there is the possibility with this of selecting and using various substances without special conversion steps in each case directly before commencing use.

In order to enable the invention to be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example some embodiments thereof, and in which~ Figure 1 is a cross-section through a basic form of steam outlet according to the invention, Figures 2 and 3 are a front view and a side view respectively of a steam outlet designed as a block body, and Figure 4 is a front view of a steam outlet similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 3 and having a feed device for an auxiliary substance.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a steam outlet for a steam bath, the steam outlet being formed by housing defining a preferably tubular deflection chamber 1 , which has a steam inlet opening 2. The steam inlet opening is formed by a connection piece 3, onto which the steam feed pipe 4 is connected. Above the steam inlet opening 2 is a steam exit 5 which is constructed in the form of a short tubular piece, which is passed through an opening 6 in the wall 7 of a cubicle. If the arrangement is made of metal, the intermediate space between the steam exit 5 and the cubicle wall 7 is expediently provided with heat insulation 8 in the region of the opening 6, so as to reduce or prevent the transmission of heat from the metallic steam exit to the cubicle wall which is generally manufactured from a synthetic material.

A thin pipe 9 opens into the steam exit 5, and serves as a feed channel through which fragrant or other auxiliary substances can be introduced into the steam. The feed channel 9 is expediently introduced into the steam exit such that it has an outlet aperture 10 opening into the steam exit 5, at a distance slightly above the base of the steam exit 5.

Beneath the steam inlet opening 2 there is arranged a condensation outlet 11 which is either connected via a tube with a base outlet in the cubicle or else opens into a condensation collection container, which is not shown.

In the use of the steam outlet just described, steam is generated in a practically pressureless manner with the aid of a known electric steam generator, and is introduced from the latter via the inlet 4 into the deflection chamber 1. In the deflection chamber 1 the steam is now deflected twice, so that any hot condensate carried along out of the inlet 4 and /or formed in the deflection chamber 1, particularly during the heating-up process, separates from the steam, so that practically no condensate can emerge via the steam exit 5 into the cubicle. The path of the steam is indicated by the arrow 12. Since the steam is generated so as to be practically pressureless, it is expedient, if at least the steam exit 5, the steam inlet 4 and the connection piece 3 have approximately the same flow crosssectional area.In the embodiment illustrated, in which the deflection chamber 1 is substantially tubular, it is desirable that the diameter of the deflection chamber should be such that the deflection chamber has approximately the same flow cross-sectional area as the steam exit and the steam inlet. In this way the resulting jet of steam entering the cubicle and directed obliquely downwards, loses its jet shape only at some distance from the cubicle wall 7, and breaks up into an upwardly rising steam cloud.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown an embodiment of a steam outlet comprising a housing in the form of a block body 13, which is manufactured for example from a synthetic material, preferably a transparent material, such as cast acrylic glass. The body 13 has a rear face 14 by which it can be fixed directly to the cubicle wall 7, for example slightly below a seating surface. The part of the block body projecting into the steam bath has well-rounded edges and corners, so that there is no risk of injury.

As can be seen from the drawings, a steam inlet 15, a deflection chamber 16 and two steam outlet channels 17 are formed as cavities by respectively intersecting bores in the block body.

In the embodiment shown, two bores are formed for the steam outlet and point obliquely forwards and outwards, from the deflection chamber 16, in order to produce in this way a wider distribution of the steam in the inlet region into the cubicle. The diameter of the two channels 17 is dimensioned such that again the total crosssectional area of the steam exit formed by the two channels 17 corresponds approximately identically to the free flow cross-sectional area of the steam feed 4. The two bores forming the channels 17 are directed such that they lead into the upper region of the deflection chamber 16 which is formed as a bore extending vertically upward from an opening 18 in the bottom of the block. The channels 17 lead into the deflection chamber at a distance above the discharge of the steam feed pipe 4 into the deflection chamber, so that the steam can flow in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, out of the deflection chamber into the channels 17.

The opening 18 of the deflection chamber 1 6 forms the condensate outlet, to which either a hose pipe or a condensate collection vessel can be connected.

On the upper surface 19 of the block body 13, there is formed a cup-shaped recess 20 which is connected with the steam exit channels 17 via two thin feed channels 21. Fragrant or other auxiliary substances can be administered to the steam from this recess 20, optionally in doses. The substances are able to pass via the thin channels slowly into the steam exit channels 17 where they can be mixed with the steam before they are delivered into the cubicle room.

It is particularly expedient to form a rebound chamber 22 opposite the steam discharge, e.g.

the steam discharge 15 as shown in Figure 3. In the rebound chamber the smallest water droplets flow together, and run off downwardly so that they can not reach the channels 17 forming the steam exit.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown another embodiment of a steam outlet which is similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 3, but which has different means for the supply of the fragrant or other auxiliary substances. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, a storage container 23 is mounted on the upper side of the block body 13 and is connected via a hose or tube connection 24 with the feed channels 21. Through an adjustable valve 25 the supply of fragrant substances can be totally sealed off or quantitatively regulated.If the storage container is connected directly with a steam outlet in the form of a block body, as shown in Figure 4, and consequently lies within the steam bath room, the storage container must at least be provided with a pressure-equalizing opening 26, in order to prevent the fragrant substances being forced in an increased quantity into the feed channels, due to a rise in pressure in the storage container, but rather that they continue to run in the form of a drop dosaging.

The storage container 23 can be firmly connected with the block body 13 and provided with a topping-up opening or can be formed by a small, insertable container. In this case the valve 25 is expediently connected firmly with the block body or with a fixing member fastened on to the block body.

Expediently, the block body may be made of cast acrylic glass or acrylic resin, which is preferably transparent.

Claims

1. Steam outlet for a steam bath, wherein the outlet comprises a housing defining or formed with a deflection chamber, a steam inlet opening leading into the deflection chamber, at least one steam exit leading from the deflection chamber and located above the steam inlet opening, and a condensate outlet leading from the deflection chamber below the steam inlet opening.

2. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the free cross-sectional area of the steam feed pipe corresponds approximately to the total free cross-sectional area of the steam exit(s).

3. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the steam exit is formed by at least one exit channel directed obliquely downwardly from the upper region of the deflection chamber.

4. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 3, wherein a feed channel for fragrant or other auxiliary substances leads into the steam exit.

5. Steam outlet as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing is in the form of a block body, in which the steam inlet, deflection chamber and steam exit are formed by respective intersecting bores.

6. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the block body is made of cast acrylic glass.

7. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 4, and Claim 5 or 6, wherein a cup-shaped recess is formed on the upper side of the block body to receive auxiliary substances, and is connected with the feed channel.

8. Steam outlet as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein a rebound chamber is formed in the deflection chamber at a location opposite the steam inlet opening.

9. Steam outlet as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 8, wherein the feed channel for fragrant or other auxiliary substances is provided with a valve.

10. Steam outlet as claimed in Claim 9, wherein a dosaging container for fragrant or other auxiliary substances is connected with the feed channel.

11. A steam outlet for a steam bath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, or Figures 2 and 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.