Portable hot tub for land and water

Abstract

An easy to assemble portable floating hot tub for use in even cold and turbulent water includes an inflatable pontoon, an insulated liner peripherally connected to the pontoon and defining hot tub fill volume, and flexible members extending from the pontoon under the liner such that the weight of the liner filled with water is supported partly by the flexible members. A floor made of rigid spaced apart and parallel slats can be rolled up with the flexible liner and deflated pontoon. A collapsible frame made of connected rigid members may be provided in or outside of the liner. The pontoon is placed on the body of water and inflated. Filling the internal volume defined by the insulated liner with water causes it to descend below the pontoon. A portable heater having a heating capacity of at least 30,000 BTUs rapidly heats up the water within the hot tub. The system components can be transported in carry bags of less than 100 pounds and deployed by one person in an extremely small space, such as on a boat.

1 . A portable hot tub, comprising:
 an inflatable pontoon arranged around a central aperture;   an insulated flexible liner having an upper periphery secured to the pontoon around the central aperture and having a three-dimensional shape to extend downward within the central aperture and form a hot tub fill volume;   flexible members that extend from the pontoon to support a bottom of the liner such that when the pontoon is floating, the weight of the liner filled with water is supported partly by the flexible members;   a hand-carried portable heater having an inlet and an outlet and hoses connected therewith for circulating water to and from the hot tub fill volume.   
     
     
         2 . The hot tub of  claim 1 , further including a floor of a more rigid material than the flexible liner incorporated within a bottom surface of the liner and attached to the pontoon via the flexible members. 
     
     
         3 . The hot tub of  claim 2 , wherein the floor comprises at least one lightweight panel of a flexible and strong material. 
     
     
         4 . The hot tub of  claim 2 , wherein the floor comprises a plurality of slats spaced apart and oriented in parallel such that the floor can be rolled up about an axis parallel to the slats. 
     
     
         5 . The hot tub of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible members attach to anchors provided on the pontoon. 
     
     
         6 . The hot tub of  claim 1 , wherein the upper periphery of the flexible liner is secured to the pontoon with a plurality of flexible members. 
     
     
         7 . The hot tub of  claim 1 , wherein the upper periphery of the flexible liner is secured to the pontoon along a substantially continuous interface. 
     
     
         8 . The hot tub of  claim 1 , wherein the heater has a tilt sensor that shuts off operation of the heater if the heater tilts more than a predetermined amount from an upright orientation. 
     
     
         9 . A floating portable hot tub, comprising:
 an inflatable pontoon arranged around a central aperture;   an insulated flexible liner having an upper periphery secured to the pontoon around the central aperture and having a three-dimensional shape to extend downward within the central aperture and define a hot tub fill volume;   a plurality of rigid members incorporated in the bottom of the three-dimensional shape defined by the flexible liner, the rigid members having a deployed configuration defining at least a floor under the liner and a collapsed configuration to facilitate portability; and   a plurality of flexible members extending downward from the pontoon to support the bottom of the flexible liner and rigid members such that when the pontoon is floating in a body of water and the hot tub fill volume is filled with water the weight of the liner filled with water and any occupants of the hot tub is supported partly by the rigid members.   
     
     
         10 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , further comprising a hand-carried portable heater having an inlet and an outlet and hoses connected therewith for circulating water to and from the hot tub fill volume. 
     
     
         11 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of rigid members defines part of a three-dimensional frame that attaches around the exterior of the liner. 
     
     
         12 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , wherein the floor comprises a plurality of slats spaced apart and oriented in parallel such that the floor can be rolled up about an axis parallel to the slats. 
     
     
         13 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , wherein the upper periphery of the flexible liner is secured to the pontoon with a plurality of flexible straps. 
     
     
         14 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , wherein the upper periphery of the flexible liner is secured to the pontoon along a substantially continuous interface. 
     
     
         15 . The hot tub of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible members attach to anchors provided on the pontoon. 
     
     
         16 . A floating portable hot tub, comprising:
 an inflatable pontoon arranged around a central aperture;   an insulated flexible liner having an upper periphery secured to the pontoon around the central aperture and having a three-dimensional shape to extend downward within the central aperture and define a hot tub fill volume;   a plurality of slats spaced apart and oriented in parallel into a bottom of the three-dimensional shape defined by the flexible liner, the slats having a deployed configuration forming a reinforced floor of the liner and a collapsed configuration wherein the slats are rolled up about an axis parallel to the slats to facilitate portability;   a plurality of flexible members extending from the pontoon to attach to the slats such that when the pontoon is floating in a body of water and the hot tub fill volume is filled with water the weight of the liner filled with water is supported partly by the slats; and   a hand-carried portable heater for circulating water to and from the fill volume.   
     
     
         17 . The hot tub of  claim 16 , wherein the upper periphery of the flexible liner is secured to the pontoon along a substantially continuous interface. 
     
     
         18 . The hot tub of  claim 16 , further including open-ended pockets formed in an underside of the liner into which the plurality of slats fits. 
     
     
         19 . The hot tub of  claim 18 , wherein each slat has at least one flexible member attached to both ends thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The hot tub of  claim 19 , wherein there are two flexible members attached to each slat end and extending upward in a V-shape to different anchors provided on the pontoon.