Extendable Jet Assembly and Liquid Circulation System

Abstract

An extendable jet assembly for a liquid-filled container includes a housing configured to be positioned in an opening in a wall of the container. The housing includes a proximal end configured to be connected to a liquid conduit, a distal end connected to the opening in the wall, and a sidewall extending therebetween. The jet assembly also includes an extendable jet at least partially mounted in the housing defining a liquid channel extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof. The jet includes a valve at least partially disposed in the liquid channel of the jet. When the valve is open, the jet is configured to transition from a retracted position to an extended position. When the valve is closed the jet is configured to transition from the extended position to the retracted position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An extendable jet assembly for a liquid-filled container, comprising:
 a housing configured to be positioned in an opening in a wall of the container, the housing comprising a proximal end configured to be connected to a liquid conduit, a distal end connected to the opening in the wall, and a sidewall extending therebetween; and   an extendable jet at least partially mounted in the housing defining a liquid channel extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof, the jet comprising a valve at least partially disposed in the liquid channel,   wherein, when the valve is open, the jet is configured to transition from a retracted position to an extended position, and when the valve is closed, the jet is configured to transition from the extended position to the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a force applied to the jet in a first direction causes the valve to open and the jet to transition from the retracted position to the extended position, and a force applied to the jet in a second direction causes the valve to close and the jet to transition from the extended position to the retracted position. 
     
     
         3 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the force in the first direction is provided by a pressurized liquid stream directed to the jet from the liquid conduit, and wherein the force in the second direction comprises a suction force applied to the jet through the liquid conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a check valve which automatically opens when pressurized liquid is present in the liquid channel and automatically closes when a suction force is present in the liquid channel. 
     
     
         5 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the extendable jet comprises a diffuser for expelling liquid from the liquid channel into the container and an inflow tube connected to the diffuser and extending from the diffuser into the liquid conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 5 , wherein, when the jet is in the retracted position, at least a portion of the diffuser is engaged within the housing and, when the jet is in the extended position, at least a portion of the inflow tube engages the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the valve is connected to a proximal end of the inflow tube. 
     
     
         8 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 7 , wherein liquid from the liquid conduit passes through the valve prior to entering the jet. 
     
     
         9 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the valve comprises an outer housing configured to engage a retainer connected to the housing of the jet assembly to maintain the jet in the extended position. 
     
     
         10 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises a retainer at the proximal end of the housing, configured to engage a portion of the diffuser to retain the jet in the retracted position, and to engage a flange on the inflow tube to retain at least a proximal end of the inflow tube within the housing when the jet is in the extended position. 
     
     
         11 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the diffuser of the jet comprises an adapter comprising a radially extending flange, and wherein the retainer of the housing comprises an annular sleeve positioned in the housing comprising at least one radially inwardly directed protrusion extending into the liquid channel configured to engage the flange when the jet is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         12 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer further comprises a wiper seal extending radially inwardly from the sleeve into the liquid channel configured to seal at least a portion of the inflow tube of the jet, as the jet transitions between the retracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
         13 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 5 , wherein, in the retracted position, at least a proximal end of the inflow tube of the jet is disposed within the liquid conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The extendable jet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an annular gasket and retaining ring connected between an outer surface of the housing and the wall of the container for mounting the housing within the opening in the wall of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid circulation system for a liquid-filled container, the system comprising:
 at least one pump configured to produce a pressurized fluid stream through one or more liquid conduits;   at least one extendable jet assembly in fluid communication with the at least one pump through at least one of the one or more liquid conduits for expelling the pressurized fluid stream into the liquid-filled container; and   at least one diverter valve in fluid communication with the at least one pump and the at least one jet assembly, wherein the at least one diverter valve is transitionable between at least the following positions:
 a first position, in which a suction force generated by the at least one pump is exerted on the at least one extendable jet assembly through the one or more liquid conduits to cause the at least one jet assembly to be in a retracted position; 
 a second position, in which the stream of pressurized liquid produced by the at least one pump is exerted on the jet assembly through the one or more liquid conduits, wherein the stream of pressurized liquid causes the at least one jet assembly to be in an extended position; and 
 a third position in which a portion of the pressurized liquid stream generated by the at least one pump passes through the jet, and wherein the jet remains in one of the extended position or the retracted position. 
   
     
     
         16 . The liquid circulation system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one jet assembly comprises:
 a housing configured to be positioned in an opening in a wall of the container, the housing comprising a proximal end configured to be connected to the one or more liquid conduits, a distal end connected to the opening in the wall, and a sidewall extending therebetween; and   an extendable jet at least partially mounted in the housing defining a liquid channel extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof, the jet comprising a valve at least partially disposed in the liquid channel,   wherein, when the valve is open, the jet assembly is configured to transition from the retracted position to the extended position, and when the valve is closed, the jet is configured to transition from the extended position to the retracted position.   
     
     
         17 . The liquid circulation system of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one suction outlet for drawing fluid from the liquid-filled container to the pump, and wherein the one or more conduits comprising:
 at least one return conduit connected between the suction outlet and the pump for providing liquid from the liquid-filled container to the pump;   at least one supply conduit extending between the pump and the diverter valve;   at least one jet conduit extended between the diverter valve and the jet assembly for providing one of a suction force or pressurized liquid to the jet assembly; and   at least one discharge conduit connected between the diverter valve and the pump for returning a portion of liquid to the pump which does not pass to the at least one jet assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The liquid circulation system of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one conventional jet in fluid communication with the pump through the one or more conduits for providing pressurized fluid into the liquid-filled container through the conventional jet. 
     
     
         19 . The liquid circulation system of  claim 15 , wherein the diverter valve comprises an actuator knob configured to allow a user to adjust a rate of flow of liquid supplied to the at least one jet assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A vessel comprising:
 a container configured to contain a liquid comprising at least one opening in a wall of the container; and   the liquid circulation system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one extendable jet assembly of the liquid circulation system is mounted within and at least partially extends through the opening of the container, such that pressurized liquid produced by the at least one pump is expelled into the container through the jet assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The vessel of  claim 20 , wherein the vessel is a spa. 
     
     
         22 . The vessel of  claim 21 , wherein the spa comprises a cabinet comprising a bottom, upwardly projecting sides, and an open top,
 wherein the container comprises a shell at least partially mounted within the cabinet, and   wherein at least portions of the pump, one or more conduits, and diverter valve are disposed within the cabinet, and in fluid communication with liquid contained in the spa shell.   
     
     
         23 . A method of operating an extendable jet assembly of a liquid circulation system, the method comprising:
 with an extendable jet of the jet assembly in a retracted position, moving a diverter valve of the liquid circulation system from a first position, in which pressurized liquid produced by a pump of the liquid circulation system bypasses the jet assembly and returns to the pump, to a second position, in which substantially all pressurized liquid passing through the diverter valve passes to the jet assembly,   wherein moving the diverter valve from the first position to the second position causes a diffuser of the extendable jet to disengage from a housing of the jet assembly and to transition from the retracted position to an extended position.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the housing of the extendable jet assembly is configured to be positioned in an opening in a wall of a spa, the housing comprising a proximal end configured to be connected to a liquid conduit of the liquid circulation system, a distal end connected to the opening in the wall, and a sidewall extending therebetween,
 wherein the extendable jet of the jet assembly is at least partially mounted in the housing and defines a liquid channel extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof, the extendable jet comprising a valve at least partially disposed in the liquid channel, and   wherein, when the valve is open, the jet is configured to transition from the retracted position to the extended position, and when the valve is closed, the jet is configured to transition from the extended position to the retracted position.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising, with the extendable jet of the jet assembly in the extended position, moving the diverter valve from the second position to the first position, thereby producing a suction force in a liquid conduit extending between the diverter valve and the jet assembly sufficient to cause the extendable jet to transition from the extended position to the retracted position. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising, with the extendable jet in either the extended position or the retracted position, moving the diverter valve to a third position, thereby causing a portion of pressurized liquid produced by the pump to pass through the diverter valve to the jet assembly and a portion of the pressurized liquid produced by the pump to pass through the diverter valve to bypass the jet assembly and return to the pump. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein moving the diverter valve from the first position to the third position increases an amount of pressurized liquid provided to the jet assembly, thereby increasing a force with which the pressurized liquid is expelled from the jet assembly. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein moving the diverter valve from the second position to the third position decreases an amount of pressurized liquid provided to the jet assembly, thereby reducing a force with which the pressurized liquid is expelled from the jet assembly.