Hot Tub with Adjustable Seating and Variable Water Levels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hot tub designs restrict water levels and seating positions, failing to accommodate users who need their torso above the water line, such as pregnant individuals or those seeking to keep their arms and chest dry, and are inefficient in water usage and heating costs.
Innovation Solution
The design allows for hot tubs to operate at varying water levels with adjustable seating positions, including seats that can position users' torsos above or partially underwater, and incorporates separate pumping systems and water outlets for customizable water flow, enabling up to 60% less water usage and reduced heating costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hot tub designs use fixed water levels and standardized seating positions, then the structural design is simplified and easier to manufacture, but user comfort and adaptability are reduced for users who need their torso above the water line
Solution Approach 1:
The hot tub employs adjustable seating positions that can be dynamically configured to accommodate different user needs. The seats are positioned at multiple heights and angles, allowing users to adjust their positioning relative to the water line. This dynamic adaptability enables users to have their torso above or below the water line as needed, resolving the contradiction between user comfort and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The seating area is segmented into multiple distinct seating positions with varying heights and orientations. Rather than a single standardized seat, the design incorporates multiple seats at different locations around the hot tub, each optimized for specific user needs. This segmentation allows different users to select appropriate seating positions for their comfort requirements while maintaining a manageable overall structure.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional hot tubs are filled to standard levels to accommodate all users, then all users can be fully submerged, but water usage increases by up to 60% and heating costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The hot tub design changes the water level parameter from a fixed high level to a lower optimized level that accommodates the varied seating positions. By adjusting this key parameter and combining it with multiple seating heights, the system reduces water consumption by up to 60% while still allowing all users to be comfortably accommodated with their torsos positioned appropriately relative to the water line.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to different user configurations by providing multiple seating positions that work effectively at lower water levels. This dynamic seating arrangement ensures that users can achieve proper submersion or exposure based on their needs without requiring the hot tub to be filled to maximum capacity, thereby reducing water usage while maintaining user accommodation capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hot tubs use a single pumping system for all seats, then the system is simpler and more cost-effective, but water flow cannot be customized for different seating positions or user needs
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping system is segmented into multiple independent pumping units, with each pump serving specific seating positions or zones within the hot tub. This segmentation allows for customized water flow control at each seating position, enabling users to adjust water flow according to their specific needs while maintaining a manageable overall system architecture that is more complex than a single pump but still practical.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pumping unit is designed to serve multiple functions within its zone, providing water flow for both hydrotherapy jets and general circulation. This multi-functionality allows the segmented pumping system to deliver customized water flow to different seating positions while avoiding the need for overly complex specialized systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
Hot tubs are disclosed herein that include a rigid outer shell having at least two seats formed therein and a footbed below the at least two seats. The at least two seats are either positioned equidistantly from the footbed or at unequal distances from the footbed. The hot tub includes at least two pumps and each pump is configured to pump water to a single seat. The hot tub has an equal number of seats and pumps as well as a skimmer positioned on a sidewall of the rigid shell. The skimmer extends at least one foot in a vertical direction and is configured to supply water to the pumps when a water level in the hot tub is as low as sixteen (16) inches from the footbed and when the water level in the hot tub is at least thirty (30) inches from the footbed.