Water jet mechanism for whirlpool effect in pedicures or other applications

Abstract

A whirlpool foot bath for a pedicure chair having a housing with a removable cap and a rotor and stator magnetic motor within the housing. Water in the bath is circulated through an inlet in the cap and out through at least one outlet in the cap. A method of use is described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A jet pump mounted in a basin of a pedicure chair, or whirlpool bath wherein water is circulated, the jet pump comprising:
 a housing having an externally accessible removable cap, the cap having an outer surface and an inner surface, a rim formed circumferentially about the inner surface, an inlet opening for water formed centrally within the cap, a wall being formed circumferentially on the inner surface of the cap surrounding the inlet opening between the inlet opening and the rim, the wall extending from the inner surface of the cap and directed toward the motor,   at least one outlet for water formed through the cap radially between the wall around the inlet opening and the rim, the at least one outlet having a nozzle thereabout formed on the outer surface of the cap whereby water is projected from the nozzle into the basin,   the inlet opening having a plurality of spaced-apart holes,   a motor having an impeller to draw water toward the motor, the motor being disposed within the housing, and the impeller being oriented opposite the inlet opening of the cap,   wherein when the motor is activated, the impeller is rotated, the water is drawn through the water inlet and the water is expelled radially against the wall around the inlet opening, the water circulating within the cap and being directed axially outwardly through the at least one outlet.   
     
     
       2. The jet pump of  claim 1 , wherein the series of spaced-apart inlet holes are formed on a convex dome extending above the outer surface of the cap. 
     
     
       3. The jet pump of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is manually removable for cleaning. 
     
     
       4. A jet pump sized and shaped for use in a basin of a pedicure chair or in a whirlpool bath wherein water is circulated, the jet pump comprising:
 a housing supporting a motor rotatably coupled to an impeller so as to drive the impeller about an axis, the housing comprising a shoulder configured to mount the housing to a wall of the pedicure chair or whirlpool bath so that a housing front part extends into the basin;   a cap having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a circumferential rim, the cap releasably engaged with the housing front part so as to define an interior chamber between the cap inner surface and a housing inner surface of the housing front part, the cap comprising a plurality of spaced-apart holes formed through the cap and defining an inlet aligned with the axis, a wall being formed circumferentially on the inner surface of the cap surrounding the plurality of spaced apart holes of the inlet between the holes of the inlet and the circumferential rim, and an outlet opening between the inlet and the circumferential rim, the outlet opening having a nozzle thereabout, the nozzle formed on the outer surface of the cap;   the housing inner surface comprising a flat portion that lies in a plane normal to the axis and has a reference slope, and an inclined portion disposed radially outwardly from the flat portion, a first point on the inclined portion having a first slope that is greater than the reference slope, the housing inner surface terminating at an outer edge and having a second slope at or adjacent the outer edge, the second slope being greater than the first slope;   the outer edge being circular, the inner surface of the cap releasably engaging the outer edge so that the outlet opening is aligned with the housing inner surface at or adjacent the outer edge; and   the impeller disposed within the interior chamber and comprising a plurality of vanes that extend radially outwardly from the axis, the impeller being rotatable by the motor to draw water axially through the inlet and direct the water radially within the interior chamber so that the water flows over the inclined portion and through the outlet opening and nozzle, whereby water is projected from the nozzle into the basin.   
     
     
       5. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein at least part of the flat portion of the housing inner surface is aligned with the inlet so that the impeller is interposed between the cap inner surface and the at least part of the flat portion of the housing inner surface. 
     
     
       6. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the impeller comprises a base on a side of the vanes opposite the cap inner surface, and wherein the flat portion of the housing inner surface is at or adjacent the base. 
     
     
       7. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the inclined portion of the housing inner surface has a radial length and has a constant slope along its radial length. 
     
     
       8. A jet pump as in claim 7, wherein an outer part of the housing inner surface at and adjacent the outer edge has an axial length and is parallel to the axis along its axial length. 
     
     
       9. A jet pump as in claim 7, wherein the impeller comprises a base on a side of the vanes opposite the cap inner surface, the base having a radius, and an outermost radius of the flat portion of the housing inner surface is no more than the impeller base radius. 
     
     
       10. A jet pump as in claim 9, wherein an innermost radius of the inclined portion of the housing inner surface is no more than the base radius, and an outermost radius of the inclined portion of the housing inner surface is greater than the base radius. 
     
     
       11. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein an outer part of the housing inner surface at and adjacent the outer edge has an axial length and is parallel to the axis along its axial length. 
     
     
       12. A jet pump as in claim 11, wherein the slope of the housing inner surface increases moving radially from the flat portion toward the outer part. 
     
     
       13. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the impeller comprises a base on a side of the vanes opposite the cap inner surface, the base having a radius, and an outermost radius of the flat portion of the housing inner surface is greater than the impeller base radius. 
     
     
       14. A jet pump as in claim 13, wherein an innermost radius of the flat portion of the housing inner surface is greater than the impeller base radius. 
     
     
       15. A jet pump as in claim 13, wherein the slope of the housing inner surface increases moving radially from the flat portion toward the outer edge. 
     
     
       16. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the flat portion of the housing inner surface lies in the reference plane that is normal to the axis, a first point along the cap inner surface is defined at the inlet, and a second point along the cap inner surface is defined adjacent the outlet opening, wherein the first point and second point are spaced radially and axially relative to one another, and wherein a distance between the second point and the reference plane is less than a distance between the first point and the reference plane. 
     
     
       17. A jet pump as in claim 16, wherein the cap is convex at the inlet. 
     
     
       18. A jet pump as in claim 17, wherein a radially flat portion of the cap inner surface is interposed radially between the first point and the second point. 
     
     
       19. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the nozzle extends from the cap inner surface to a downstream nozzle opening that is spaced from the cap outer surface. 
     
     
       20. A jet pump sized and shaped for use in a basin of a pedicure chair or in a whirlpool bath wherein water is circulated, the jet pump comprising:
 a housing supporting a motor rotatably coupled to an impeller so as to drive the impeller about an axis, the housing comprising a shoulder configured to mount the housing to a wall of the pedicure chair or whirlpool bath so that a housing front part extends into the basin;   a cap having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a circumferential rim, the cap releasably engaged with the housing front part so as to define an interior chamber between the cap inner surface and a housing inner surface of the housing front part, the cap comprising a plurality of spaced-apart holes formed through the cap and defining an inlet disposed at and adjacent the axis, a wall being formed by the inner surface of the cap between the plurality of spaced apart holes of the inlet and the circumferential rim, the wall extending circumferentially so as to substantially surround the holes, and an outlet opening is radially spaced from the inlet, the outlet opening communicating with a nozzle formed on the outer surface of the cap;   the housing inner surface extending radially outwardly from the axis and terminating at a circular outer edge, a first portion of the housing inner surface being radially spaced a distance from the axis and having a first slope relative to a plane defined normal to the axis, a second portion of the housing inner surface disposed radially outwardly from the first portion and defined at and adjacent the outer edge, the second portion of the housing inner surface at a point along the second portion having a second slope relative to a plane defined normal to the axis, the second slope being greater than the first slope;   the inner surface of the cap releasably engaging the circular outer edge so that the outlet opening is aligned with the second portion of the housing inner surface; and   the impeller disposed within the interior chamber and comprising a plurality of vanes that extend radially outwardly from the axis, the impeller being rotatable by the motor to draw water axially through the inlet and direct the water radially within the interior chamber so that the water flows over the first portion and second portion of the housing inner surface and is directed toward and through the outlet opening of the cap, and further through the nozzle and into the basin.   
     
     
       21. A jet pump as in claim 20, wherein the second portion of the housing inner surface at and adjacent the outer edge has an axial length and is parallel to the axis along its axial length. 
     
     
       22. A jet pump as in claim 21, wherein the slope of the housing inner surface increases moving radially from the first portion toward the second portion. 
     
     
       23. A jet pump as in claim 20, wherein a driveshaft extends from the motor and through an aperture in the housing inner surface into the interior chamber, and wherein the impeller is releasably attachable to the driveshaft. 
     
     
       24. A jet pump as in claim 20, wherein the cap comprises a second outlet opening spaced radially from the inlet and from the outlet opening, the second outlet opening aligned with the second portion of the housing inner surface at or adjacent the outer edge. 
     
     
       25. A jet pump as in claim 20, wherein an inner zone of the cap inner surface in the inlet has a first radial length and is inclined relative to the axis along the first radial length, a medial zone of the cap inner surface has a second radial length and is normal to the axis along the second radial length, and an outer zone of the cap inner surface has a third radial length and is inclined relative to the axis along the third radial length, the medial zone being between the inner and outer zones. 
     
     
       26. A jet pump as in claim 25, wherein the wall comprises the medial zone of the cap inner surface. 
     
     
       27. A jet pump as in claim 22, wherein a distance along the axis between the impeller vanes and the inner surface of the cap at the inlet is greater than a distance along the axis between the impeller vanes and the wall. 
     
     
       28. A jet pump as in claim 18, wherein a third point is defined along the wall, and a distance between the third point and the reference plane is less than a distance between the first point and the reference plane. 
     
     
       29. A jet pump as in claim 28, wherein the wall comprises the radially flat portion of the cap inner surface. 
     
     
       30. A jet pump as in claim 29, wherein the wall is defined by the inner surface of the cap. 
     
     
       31. A jet pump as in claim 4, wherein the wall is defined by the inner surface of the cap. 
     
     
       32. A jet pump as in claim 31, wherein a distance between the reference plane and the inner surface of the cap at the wall is less than a distance between the reference plane and the inner surface of the cap at the inlet. 
     
     
       33. A jet pump as in claim 31, wherein the wall extends in a direction transverse to the reference plane.