Tub lid

Abstract

A lid for cooling liquid in a tub, comprising a housing arrangeable to at least partially close a mouth of the tub; cooling means substantially contained within the housing for cooling liquid from the tub; a liquid inlet via which liquid in the tub can be drawn so as to be cooled by the cooling means; and a liquid outlet via which the cooled liquid can return to the tub.

Description

[0001]

[0002] Tub lid

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] Disclosed herein is a lid for cooling liquid in a tub. In particular, the lid is configured to cool liquid drawn from the tub such that the cooled liquid can be returned to the tub.

[0005] Backqround

[0006] Cold exposure can bring out various physical and mental benefits and a popular method of exposing oneself to cold temperatures is via immersion in cold water where water temperatures can be as low as zero degrees Celsius. To this end, bathing in cold water is becoming a popular practice and there has been a proliferation of different tubs, baths, containers and the like in which one may at least partially, if not substantially, immerse oneself in cold water.

[0007] However, it can be difficult and expensive to cool the water in the tub to a sufficiently low temperature for immersion therein. For example, one might need to repeatedly make or buy significant quantities of ice to cool the water in the tub. This method for cooling water can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and physically demanding, and it may be difficult to consistently achieve a desired water temperature.

[0008] An alternative involves purchasing a heavy-duty chiller which can be relatively complex and energy-intensive. Such chillers are often quite expensive and non-portable, which contrasts with the more affordable and portable tubs and baths available in the market.

[0009] Another alternative involves buying a tub with built-in water chilling capabilities, however, such tubs can be prohibitively expensive, non-portable, require a fair amount of space, and can be difficult to maintain and repair.

[0010] There is a need to address the above, and / or at least provide a useful alternative.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lid for cooling liquid in a tub, comprising: a housing arrangeable to at least partially close a mouth of the tub; cooling means substantially contained within the housing for cooling liquid from the tub; a liquid inlet via which liquid in the tub can be drawn so as to be cooled by the cooling means; and a liquid outlet via which the cooled liquid can return to the tub.

[0012] It is envisaged that the liquid inlet may extend downwardly into the tub for drawing liquid upwardly therefrom.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the lid further comprises freezing means for freezing liquid drawn from the tub, wherein the frozen liquid can be returned to the tub for cooling liquid therein.

[0014] In at least one embodiment, the cooling means comprises a refrigeration system through which liquid drawn from the tub can be circulated so as to be cooled.

[0015] It is also envisaged that the cooling means may comprise a thermoelectric cooler for cooling liquid drawn from the tub.

[0016] Examples of the lid may also comprise a filtration system within the housing for filtering liquid drawn from the tub.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cooling water in a tub using a lid according to a first aspect of the present invention, comprising: arranging the lid so that the lid at least partially covers a mouth of the tub; drawing water from the tub so as to be cooled by the cooling means of the lid; and returning the cooled water into the tub.

[0018] The cooling of water by the lid may be configured to commence at a first predetermined time of a predetermined time interval so that a temperature of the water within the tub reaches a desired temperature by a desired time during the time interval.

[0019] The cooling of water by the lid to the desired temperature may be configured to cease at a second pretermined time during the time interval, and to resume cooling at the first predetermined time of the next predetermined time interval.

[0020] The method may further comprise: cooling water drawn from the tub to a first temperature that is greater than the desired temperature; forming ice via freezing means of the lid; and depositing the ice from the lid into the cooled water so as to cool the water to the desired temperature by the desired time.

[0021] Brief description of the drawinas

[0022] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example tub shown fitted with a lid in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0024] Fig. 2A is a front perspective cross-sectional view of a lid according to a first embodiment;

[0025] Fig. 2B is a top cross-sectional view of the lid of Fig. 1;

[0026] Fig. 3A is a front perspective view of a lid according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Fig. 3B is a bottom perspective view of the lid of Fig. 3A;

[0028] Fig. 4 is a front perspective cross-sectional view of the lid of Fig. 3A;

[0029] Fig. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of the lid of Fig. 3A;

[0030] Fig. 6A is a bottom view of a lid according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Fig. 6B is a front perspective cross-sectional view of the lid of Fig. 6A;

[0032] Fig. 7 is a top cross-sectional view of the lid of Fig. 6A;

[0033] Fig. 8A is a perspective view of a thermoelectric cooler of the lid of Fig. 6A;

[0034] Fig. 8B is an exploded view of the thermoelectric cooler of Fig. 8A;

[0035] Fig. 9A is a perspective view of a lid according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Fig. 9B is a perspective view of the tub lid of Fig.9A with an upper cover removed to show a thermoelectric cooler contained within; and

[0037] Fig. 9C is a sectional side vie of the lid of Fig. 9A.

[0038] Detailed

[0039] Commercially available ice baths and tubs often include or can be fitted with a lid for enclosing the liquid (typically water) within the tub. Lids not only help prevent foreign material (leaves, insects etc.) from entering the tub, but they can also help maintain the water temperature within the tub for longer, as opposed to, for example, if the water within the tub was exposed directly to the environment and sunlight.

[0040] Since ice bath lids are generally manually removed to permit entry into the bath, they are typically relatively lightweight and not configured to do much more than cover the mouth of the bath. Meanwhile, conventional water chillers may be purchased as standalone devices that draw water from the bath, cool the drawn water, and supply the cooled water back to the bath.

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention provide a tub lid which also functions to lower the water temperature within the tub. Embodiments of the lid work not only to cover the mouth of the tub, but to draw water from the tub, cool the drawn water, and return the cooled water into the tub.

[0042] Fig. 1 shows an example tub 2 closed by a lid 4 according to a first embodiment. The tub 2 has a generally circular footprint and has a volume of about approximately 400 litres, though embodiments of the present lid 4 may of course be adapted and configured to work with tubs of other shapes and sizes. The tub 2 and lid 4 both have a 900mm diameter, though other sizes will also be possible. In some embodiments, the tub 2 is a drop-stitch PVC inflatable tub, though it will be appreciated that the tub may be formed from other materials.

[0043] Figs. 2A and 2B are front perspective and top cross-sectional views of the lid 4 shown in Fig. 1, respectively. The lid 4 comprises a generally circular and substantially hollow housing 6 adapted to fit over or to the mouth of the tub 2 to stop foreign material from entering therein. The lid 4 also comprises cooling means for cooling the liquid in the tub 2. In the depicted embodiment, the cooling means comprises a refrigeration system, components of which are substantially contained within the housing 6. For example, the depicted refrigeration system comprises a condenser 8, a compressor 10, a refrigerant receiver 12, and a circulation pump 14 for drawing water from the tub 2 and circulating it through the refrigeration system.

[0044] The lid 4 also comprises a water inlet via which water can be drawn (e.g., pumped by the circulation pump 14) upwardly from the tub 2 for introduction into the refrigeration system. In the depicted embodiment, the water inlet comprises a telescopic tube 16 that extends downward from the housing 6 so as to be submerged beneath a water level of the water within the tub 2. The inlet 16 can telescopically retract to improve the storability and portability of the present lid 4. The telescopic inlet 16 also allows a user to extend or retract the inlet 16 to a length such that the inlet 16 is sufficiently submerged beneath the water level in the tub 2. Since warmer water tends to rise, the water inlet 16 is preferably submerged at a relatively shallow level so that it draws warmer water out of the tub 2 for cooling by the cooling means.

[0045] The lid 4 also comprises a water outlet (not shown) via which water that has been cooled by the cooling means is returned into the tub 2. The lid 4 may also comprise a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the water in the tub. In certain examples, the cooling duration, capacity etc. of the cooling means may be configured to respond to temperature data received from the temperature sensor. In this way, the cooling means may be configured to cool the tub water to a desired temperature selected by the user. For example, the lid 4 may be digitally controlled via a smartphone application wherein the user may select a desired water temperature and / or bathing time, in response to which the lid 4 may automatically start cooling the water within the tub 2 such that by the time the user wishes to enter the tub 2, the water therein has already been cooled to the desired temperature.

[0046] The lid 4 of Figs. 1 to 2B also comprises a freezing or ice-making means for freezing water drawn from the tub into ice. The depicted lid is shown with an ice tray 18 in which water can collect and be frozen into ice blocks which can then be deposited back into the tub 2 for cooling water therein. To this end, the present lid 4 may comprise conventional ice-making systems similar to those of commercially available refrigerators, though of course, other known ice-making systems are within the scope of the present specification. In certain use cases, it might be that the lid 4 is configured to first chill the water to a certain temperature, then begin the ice-making process, and then deposit the ice into the chilled water closer to the time the user wishes to enter the tub.

[0047] Ice baths are commonly used once a day at approximately the same time, often in the morning. As such, keeping the water in an ice bath chilled for extended periods during which the ice bath is unlikely to be used can be unnecessarily energy-inefficient. To this end, the present lid 4 may be programmed to, after use, enter into a low-power or inactive / hibernation mode wherein the lid 4 no longer cools or maintains the tub water at the desired temperature, and to resume cooling at a predetermined time to reduce the water temperature for next use at the predetermined time.

[0048] Furthermore, since cooling water to lower and lower temperatures requires an increasing amount of energy, it can instead be more efficient to cool the water to a temperature near the desired use temperature, wherein the final cooling can be achieved be depositing ice into the water prior to use. Adding the ice shortly before use can also provide an enhanced visual and visceral experience for the user.

[0049] Figs. 3A to 5 show a lid 104 according to another embodiment. It will be appreciated that similar or analogous features across different embodiments are denoted herein with reference numerals incremented by 100. The depicted lid 104 also comprises a housing 106 in which a refrigeration system is contained for cooling liquid drawn from the tub 2, the refrigeration system comprising a condenser 108, a compressor 110 and a heat exchanger 120. The housing 106 is also depicted with a junction box 122 therein in which electronics can be housed, and a sidewall of the housing 106 is fitted with a series of baffles 124. The depicted lid 104 also comprises a pair of handles 126 on an upper face of the housing 106 so that a user can easily lift the lid 104.

[0050] Preferably, the lid 104 is maintained in an upright position to avoid compromising the refrigeration system. To this end, a bottom face of the housing 106 is depicted with a pair of feet 128 upon which the lid 104 can be supported when the lid 104 is to be set down on the ground.

[0051] Figs. 6 to 8B relate to a third lid embodiment 204, the cooling means of which comprises a thermoelectric cooler 250 having an array of semiconductors 252 sandwiched between an upper heat sink 254 and a lower heat exchanger plate 256 (which may be configured as an ice tray, as shown in Fig. 6A). The housing 206 also comprises an array of fans 258 to facilitate the removal of heat from the heat sink side of the thermoelectric cooling device 250, and a storage or container portion 260 in which electronics for powering the thermoelectric cooling device 250 may be stowed. Advantageously, thermoelectric cooling avoids the use of refrigerants, is generally quieter than conventional refrigeration systems, and may result in a lid that is lighter, more compact and requires less maintenance.

[0052] Figs. 9A and 9B show a lid 304 of a further embodiment. Lid 304 also has a thermoelectric cooler 350 and is equipped with 6 heat exchangers 328 and six heat pipe radiators 330. It will be appreciated that other numbers of heat exchangers / pipe radiators may also be used. Heat exchangers 328 are in communication with a lower heat exchanger plate (not shown) which may be configured as an ice tray, as shown in Fig. 6A, or may be in contact with an ice tray.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the thermoelectric cooler 350 is formed of 12 individual Peltier modules 340. It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, more, smaller modules may used, or less and larger modules.

[0054] Air from the immediate environment enters the lid 304 through air inlets 334 and warm air is exhausted via air outlets 336

[0055] The above described embodiments use like numerals incremented by 100 to describe like features. Where possible features may be interchangeable between the different embodiments and for brevity, each embodiment is not described in full and it should be appreciated that the description of a particular feature in relation to a different embodiment is intended to apply.

[0056] Many modifications of the above embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while embodiments of the lid are depicted with downwardly extending feet, it is envisaged that the lid may alternatively comprise a skirt that extends downwardly from a lower perimeter of the housing. The skirt could help support the housing above the ground, and may also be adapted to fit into or otherwise cooperate with the mouth of the tub. The lid may also include a filtration system for filtering the water drawn from the tub. The filtration system may include a particle filter and UV sanitisation. The Figures merely show example lid embodiments and it is considered that the materials, shape, structure, size, cooling means etc. of the lid may be adapted to suit the tub and cooling customisation desired. It is also desirable that the lid be at least water resistant, if not waterproof such that its functionality is not compromised if it comes into contact with water. For example, it is envisaged that embodiments of the lid would have a waterproof rating of at least IPX3.

[0057] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0058] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A lid for cooling liquid in a tub, comprising: a housing arrangeable to at least partially close a mouth of the tub; cooling means substantially contained within the housing for cooling liquid from the tub; a liquid inlet via which liquid in the tub can be drawn so as to be cooled by the cooling means; and a liquid outlet via which the cooled liquid can return to the tub.

2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the liquid inlet extends downwardly into the tub for drawing liquid upwardly therefrom.

3. The lid of claim 1 or 2, further comprising freezing means for freezing liquid drawn from the tub, wherein the frozen liquid can be returned to the tub for cooling liquid therein.

4. The lid of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling means comprises a refrigeration system through which liquid drawn from the tub can be circulated so as to be cooled.

5. The lid of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooling means comprises a thermoelectric cooler for cooling liquid drawn from the tub.

6. The lid of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a filtration system within the housing for filtering liquid drawn from the tub.

7. A method of cooling water in a tub using a lid according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: arranging the lid so that the lid at least partially covers a mouth of the tub;drawing water from the tub so as to be cooled by the cooling means of the lid; and returning the cooled water into the tub.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling of water by the lid is configured to commence at a first predetermined time of a predetermined time interval so that a temperature of the water within the tub reaches a desired temperature by a desired time during the time interval.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cooling of water by the lid to the desired temperature is configured to cease at a second pretermined time during the time interval, and to resume cooling at the first predetermined time of the next predetermined time interval.

10. The method of any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising: cooling water drawn from the tub to a first temperature that is greater than the desired temperature; forming ice via freezing means of the lid; and depositing the ice from the lid into the cooled water so as to cool the water to the desired temperature by the desired time.

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