Water jet massaging apparatus with patient support sheet and support element

Abstract

In a water jet massaging apparatus having a tub which is covered by a flexible elastic support sheet or foil for supporting a patient and a nozzle carriage with a nozzle and carriage drive arrangement disposed in the tub below the support sheet or foil for directing a water jet onto the support sheet, a rigid or at least non-elastic support element is disposed between the flexible elastic support sheet or foil and the nozzle carriage at a distance from the flexible elastic support sheet or foil so as to prevent the flexible elastic support sheet to come into contact with the nozzle carriage and the carriage drive arrangement.

Claims

1. A water jet massaging apparatus comprising: a tub (1) having a bottom (2) and side walls (3), a flexible elastic support sheet or foil (4) stretched across the side walls (3) so as to cover the tub (1), a nozzle mechanism arranged in the interior of the tub and including at least one nozzle to which pressurized water can be supplied for directing a water jet onto the support sheet or foil (4) for massaging a person laying on the support sheet or foil (4), and a support element (7), which is arranged within the tub (1) below the flexible elastic support sheet or foil (4) at such a distance therefrom that the flexible elastic support sheet or foil (4) does not come into contact with the support element (7) when a patient is laying on the flexible elastic support sheet or foil (4) the support element is spaced from the support sheet or foil by a hollow air space spanning the distance and the support element is above the nozzle mechanism (6) and is non-elastic so as to limit downward displacement of the support sheet or foil (4) when an excessive load is applied thereto in order to prevent the flexible elastic support sheet or foil (4) from contacting the nozzle mechanism arranged in the tub (1) below the support element (7).

2. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-elastic support element (7) is one of a lattice structure and a textile fabric.

3. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) comprises a rigid lattice structure.

4. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is in the form of flexible but non-elastic lattice structure.

5. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is in the form of a non-elastic net structure.

6. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the net structure consists of high-stress resistant thin lattice wires or net fibers with large mesh width.

7. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle mechanism comprises a nozzle carriage (6), which is provided with at least one nozzle and supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal and the transverse directions of the tub (1).

8. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle mechanism comprises at least one nozzle arranged in the tub (1) in a stationary position.

9. The water jet massaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the stationary nozzle is angularly movable for changing the angle of a water jet emitted from the nozzle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The sole FIGURE shows schematically in a cross-sectional view a water jet massaging apparatus with a patient support sheet and a support element according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(2) As shown in the FIGURE, a water jet massaging apparatus includes a tub 1 with a tub bottom 2 and sidewalls 3 which, at the top, are bent outwardly.

(3) The tub is covered by an elastic support sheet or foil 4 which is stretched over the tub. In the area of the tub bottom 2, a nozzle carriage arrangement with a guide track 5 and a nozzle carriage 6 is shown.

(4) As is further shown, below the support sheet or foil 4, there is a support element 7 whichlike the support sheet or foil 4is connected to the tub 2 at the side walls thereof.

(5) The support element 7 may be in the form of a rigid or a flexible, but not elastic, lattice or a non-elastic net of textile or other suitable material whose lattice wires or net fibers are as thin as possible and whose lattice or net apertures are as large as possible so as to affect the massaging water jet as little as possible but nevertheless ensure the strength needed to safely accommodate or hold the weight of a patient sitting on the support sheet or foil 4 and pushing it downwardly onto the support element 7.

(6) As shown in the FIGURE, the support element 7 is so arranged that it extends below the patient support sheet or foil 4 in spaced relationship therefrom so that, with a patient laying on the patient support sheet or foil and the resulting lowering of the patient support sheet, the patient support sheet remains sufficiently spaced from the support element 7 that the patient support sheet 4 does not come into contact with the support element 7 even when the patient moves on the support sheet 4. At the same time, the support element 7 is arranged at a height over the nozzle carriage arrangement sufficient not to hinder the movement of the nozzle carriage disposed on the tub bottom below the support element 7, And when a patient is for example sitting on the patient support sheet and locally further depresses parts of the patient support sheet 4 the patient support sheet is supported by the support element 7 thereby to prevent contact with the carriage arrangement

(7) As mentioned earlier, the support element 7 may also be in the form for example of a textile fabric wherein however the arrangement and support has to comply with the criteria mentioned above that to prevent damage to the nozzle carriage and carriage operating arrangement.