US2005283900A1PendingUtilityA1

Safety suction inlet

44
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 23, 2004Filed: Jun 23, 2004Published: Dec 29, 2005
Est. expiryJun 23, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Graham J. Campbell
E03C 1/264A61H 33/6073
44
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A novel safety suction inlet for use with conventional and safety suction circulation systems in hydrotherapy tubs, spas or pools, to avoid potential hazards including body, hair or other foreign object entrapment or entanglement, is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the safety suction inlet includes an internal gate positioned just beneath an internal suction cover. The internal gate provides a secondary point of safety in the event that the suction cover becomes lost or otherwise dislodged from the safety suction inlet. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the safety suction inlet may be combined with conventional circulation systems to provide additional levels of safety against injury or damage, should an object become entrapped or entangled in the safety suction inlet. Any of the embodiments of the present invention may be used with a conventional or safety circulation system. Further, for those embodiments having an internal gate or other means for preventing entanglement, the external cover may be removably fixed to the suction inlet, thereby adding an additional level of protection against an object becoming entangled in the suction inlet.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A circulation system for use with hydrotherapy tubs, spas and pools, comprising: 
 a safety suction inlet further comprising a suction inlet body, an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said suction inlet body, and an internal gate fixed within said safety suction inlet body and positioned just behind said external suction cover, said internal gate providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes detached from said safety suction inlet;    a circulation flow path connected to said safety suction inlet; and    a pump connected to said circulation flow path, said pump for drawing water through said safety suction inlet and said circulation flow path.    
   
   
       2 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 1 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       3 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 1 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       4 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       5 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 1 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of projections for preventing an object from becoming entangled in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       6 . A safety suction inlet, comprising: 
 a suction inlet body;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said suction inlet body; and    an internal gate fixed within said suction inlet body and positioned just behind said external suction cover, said internal gate for providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes detached from said safety suction inlet.    
   
   
       7 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 6 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       8 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 6 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       9 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       10 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 6 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of projections for preventing an object from becoming entangled in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       11 . A safety suction circulation system for use with hydrotherapy tubs, spas or pools, comprising: 
 a pump for drawing water through said circulation system;    a suction inlet body connected to said circulation system;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said suction inlet body;    an internal gate fixed within said suction inlet body and positioned just behind said external suction cover, said internal gate for providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes detached from said suction inlet;    means for disabling said pump if said circulation system becomes blocked.    
   
   
       12 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 11 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       13 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 11 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       14 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 11 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       15 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 11 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of projections for preventing an object from becoming entangled in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       16 . A safety suction inlet, comprising: 
 a suction inlet body having a front portion and a rear portion;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said front portion of said suction inlet body;    a flow element for coupling said suction inlet body to a circulation system, said flow element attached to said rear portion of said suction inlet body; and    an internal gate fixed to said flow element and positioned adjacent to said suction inlet body, said internal gate for providing a secondary point of safety incase said external suction cover becomes detached from said safety suction inlet.    
   
   
       17 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 16 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed within said flow element.  
   
   
       18 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 16 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said flow element.  
   
   
       19 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       20 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 16 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of projections for preventing an object from becoming entangled in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       21 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 16 , wherein said flow element comprises one of an elbow, pipe, or fitting.  
   
   
       22 . A safety suction inlet, comprising: 
 a suction inlet body having a front portion and a rear portion;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said front portion of said suction inlet body;    a flow element for coupling said suction inlet body to a circulation system, said flow element attached to said rear portion of said suction inlet body; and    a plurality of projections fixed to said flow element and positioned adjacent to said suction inlet body, said plurality of projections for providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes removed from said safety suction inlet.    
   
   
       23 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of projections are permanently fixed adjacent to said flow element.  
   
   
       24 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of projections are removably fixed adjacent to said flow element.  
   
   
       25 . The safety suction inlet of  claim 22 , wherein said flow element comprises one of an elbow, pipe, or fitting.  
   
   
       26 . A circulation system for use with hydrotherapy tubs, spas and pools, comprising: 
 a circulation flow path for routing water to and from said hydrotherapy tubs, sapas and pools;    a pump connected to said circulation flow path, said pump for drawing water through said safety suction inlet and said circulation flow path;    a suction inlet body having a front portion and a rear portion;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said front portion of said suction inlet body;    a flow element for coupling said suction inlet body to said circulation flow path, said flow element attached between said rear portion of said suction inlet body and said circulation flow path; and    an internal gate fixed to said flow element and positioned within said safety suction inlet body just behind said external suction cover, said internal gate providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes removed from said safety suction inlet.    
   
   
       27 . The circulation system of  claim 26 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed within said flow element.  
   
   
       28 . The circulation system of  claim 26 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said flow element.  
   
   
       29 . The circulation system of  claim 26 , further comprising a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       30 . The circulation system of  claim 26 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of projections for preventing an object from becoming entangled in said suction inlet body.  
   
   
       31 . A safety suction circulation system for use with hydrotherapy tubs, spas or pools, comprising: 
 a pump for drawing water through said circulation system;    a suction inlet body connected to said circulation system;    an external suction cover for preventing an object from becoming entangled and blocking said suction inlet body, said external suction cover attached to said suction inlet body;    a flow element for coupling said suction inlet body to said circulation system, said flow element connected between said said suction inlet body and said pump;    an internal gate fixed to said flow element and positioned within said suction inlet body just behind said external suction cover, said internal gate for providing a secondary point of safety in case said external suction cover becomes removed from said suction inlet body; and    means for disabling said pump if said circulation system becomes blocked.    
   
   
       32 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 31 , wherein said internal gate is permanently fixed to said flow element.  
   
   
       33 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 31 , wherein said internal gate is removably fixed within said flow element.  
   
   
       34 . The safety suction circulation system of  claim 31 , wherein said internal gate further comprises a plurality of raised tabs for preventing an object from becoming entrapped in said suction inlet body.

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