Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SAUNA CABINET
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
This invention is directed to a mobile sauna and a
hinged door arrangement therefor, and in particular to an
improved hinge; and to a door cam gasket combination embodying
the improved hinge. Additional sauna aspects including the steam
generator and the seat attachment also are featured.
The use of light weight constructions of plastic and
fiber glass are well known, and they are utilized in a wide
variety of various types of application.
In the case of a mobile sauna, in which a light weight
sauna cabinet is provided, the imposed weight restriction has led
to the adoption of thin wall sections, with consequent associated
flexibility of the respective members of the cabinet. This
flexibility, in turn, has caused difficulties in achieving
effective door seals.
In the case of a sit-in cabinet of the type illustrated
in United States patent No. 3,707,732 COSPER, issued January 2,
1973, this shows such a lightweight cabinet of one piece molded
construction. The structure incorporates a pair of wheels
mounted adjacent the base of the cabinet, onto which wheels the
; cabinet can be readily tilted, rearwardly, for relocation,
somewhat in-the fashion of a wheelbarrow. The molded cabinet has
a one piece molded door construction, the cabinet and door being
of fiber glass construction, the respective edge portions thereof
lying predominantly in a single plane. These have laterally
; extending flange portions to which the respective plate portions
of a piano hinge are attached. Sealing of the door edge, along
the extended zone occupied by the piano hinge, due to the space
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constraints imposed by the hinge, relies upon the plate-like
aspects of the hinge, per se, to serve as a seal for steam and
water vapour contained within the cabinet.
In the absence of an interposed edge seal, the plates
ana hinge pin comprising the elements of the hinge serve as heat
conductors between the interior and the exterior of the cabinet,
so that an undue amount of condensation takes place in the
vicinity of the hinge, together with a certain amount of direct
leakage, between the hinge plate segments.
In the absence of effective door edgé seals, to
substantially exclude the passage of steam, water vapour or
liquid outwardly between the door flange and the associated
cabinet flange, con~ensation and run down takes place, with
consequent drip-off from the cabinet. In view of cabinet
mobility, wherein it may be relocated for use in virtually any
room or zone of a residence, the occurance of such condensation
run off is entirely undesireable and unacceptable, and the
provision of an effective edge seal assumes great importance in
justifying and making acceptable and practical the widespread
utilization of a mobile sauna device.
In the case of the steam generator for the COSPER
construction, as evidenced in a commercial production thereof, a
somewhat Complex cast metal construction incorporates an
integrated electrical heating coil into the thickness of a
somewhat massive flat bottomed cast aluminum, shallow pan.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention provides an improved hinge
particularly adapted for use with a cabinet and door combination,
the hinge being of lightweight construction and affording a
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stand-off characteristic to the closure, whereby a soft ~eep
section gasket may be interposed in secured sealing relation
between door and cabinet.
The subject hinge further provides hinge plates having
- 5 flange provisions thereof adapted for attachment to substantially
flexible flange portions of a cabinet and associated door
construction.
The present invention thus provides a hinge for use with
a cabinet having a door pivotally supported thereon by the hinge.
The cabinet has an opening bounded by a laterally extending
planar flange, to receive one plate of the hinge in secured
relation thereto. The cabinet door has a planar flanged edge
portion for attachment of the other plate of the hinge thereto.
The hinge has a first plate, and a second plate connected by a
hinge pin in pivotal relation with the first plate.
Each of the hinge plates has a substantially planar edge
flange portion for attachment, in use, to a face of a respective
one of the flanges. At least one of the hinge plates has a post
portion located intermediate the plate planar edge portion and
the hinge pin, and extending at an angle from the planar portion,
so as to use to position the hinge pin parallel with and in
forward spaced relation from the front face of one of the flanged
edge portions by a predetermined distance sufficient, in use, to
receive a soft, deep section gasket in interposed sealing
relation between the flanges.
One of the hinge plates also may have a portion thereof
adjacent the edge flange potion offset therefrom to provide in
co-operation with the respective cabinet or cabinet door edge
flange a recess of predetermined limited depth, to receive a
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flange eage trim section in entered relation therebetween.
The present invention further provides, in combination
with the subject hinge, a cabinet and door of lightweight, semi-
flexible construction. The cabinet and door each have a
laterally extending substantially planar flange, having a
plurality of the hinges securing the flanges in pivotal relation
one with the other, and with a deep section gasket interposed in
sealing relation therebetween.
In the preferred embodiment of the subject combination,
that portion of the subject hinge having the upstanding post
portion thereon is secure~ to the peripheral flange of the
cabinet, in abutting relation with the face of that flange remote
from the door.
It will be understood that alternatively, the hinge
plate could be secured to the cabinet flange in interposed
relation between the flange and the door.
Also in the preferred embodiment, the other plate of the
hinge is secure~ to the door flange, on the cabinet side thereof,
ana having the sealing gasket in secured relation to the door
flange. However, the relative positions of the components may be
varied.
A -further aspect of the herein disclosed sauna is a
steam generator arrangement therefor, comprising an evaporator
tray with an enclosure having a bottom portion and an encircling
wall thereaout. The bottom portion has an electrical heating
element therein and a heat transfer surface having a plurality of
~ groove serrations therein to increase the heat transfer surface
;~ proportionately.
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The width and depth of the grooves are selected on the
basis of practical manufacturing requirements, and to
substantially increase, by factors such as 2, 3, 4 or more the
heat transfer area, while providing a serrated surface that lends
itself readily to cleaning and maintenance, and does not readily
foul up from hard water and other deposits.
In the preferred embodiment a rectangular, substantially
square planform is adopted, being of cast aluminum and having
three legs to ensure stability and safety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Certain embodiments of the invention are described,
reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein;
Figure 1 is a general view of the subject cabinet in an
open condition;
Figure 2 is a side view, in part section, of the subject
cabinet in a closed condition;
Figure 3 is a detail section elevation, showing the seat
attachment to the cabinet wall;
Figure 4 is a detail section through a subject hinge,
the cabinet being closed;
Figure 5 is a like detail of the opposite door edge
seal;
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the subject hinge;
Figure 7 is a plan view of the hinge of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a general view of the steam generator of the
sauna; and
Figure 9 is a section view of the steam generator, taken
at 9-9 of Figure 8.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ThE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a sauna cabinet 10
has a cabinet body portion 12 and a door portion 14.
A recess 16, illustrated as being in the door portion,
receives the neck of a user in accommodatea relation therein.
A seat 18, comprising a plurality of slats 20 is
secured between the side walls 22, 24 of the cabinet.
A steam generator 26 is accommodated behind enclosure
wall 28 ana beneath perforated grill 30.
Referring particularly to Figure 3, one end of seat 18
is shown slideably secured to wall 22 of the cabinet 10, which is
of light weight, fibre glass construction.
An elongated unitary track member 32 extending beside
seat 18 has a side plate 34, secured directly to the fibre glass
wall 22 by way of two pairs of machine screws 35, with plate
washers 37 and nuts 38 in retaining relation therewith. Neoprene
nut covers 39 conceal and protect the nuts 38.
The track member 32 has four T-bar rails 40 extending
the depth of the seat, in supporting relation with one side of
the seat.
The seat slats 20 are mounted on a bearer 23, the
bearer 23 having a slide member 32A bolted thereto.
The slide member 32A is identical to track member 32,
and is machine bolted to bearer 23 by way of bolts 42 and nuts
44, in reversed overlying relation with track member 32.
The seat 18 may thus be forwardly or rearwardly
adjusted, or entirely removed by sliding it forwardly off tracks
32.
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Turning to Figures 4 through 7, the hinge 50 has a pair
of plate members 52, 54 pivotally interconnected by hinge pin 56.
Each plate 52, 54 has a planar outer flange portion 58, 60
respectively having bolt holes 61 therethrough, for bolting to
cabinet flange 62 and door flange 64 respectively, by way of
bolts and nuts 66.
Neoprene caps 68 conceal and protect the respective nuts
thereof.
The edge of cabinet flange 62 is protected along the
length thereof by a plastic trim section 7Q. Similarly, the edge
of door flange 64 has a trim section 72 thereabout. However, trim
section 72 also secures an edge portion of soft elastomeric door
gasket 74, in trapped relation therewith. The gasket 74 is of
deep section and is ventilated, as at 73, to provide a soft,
conformable resilient seal, preferably of neoprene~
Referring to Figure 5, this shows the door opening edge
with door flange 64, cabinet flange 62 and the respective
arrangements of edge trims 70, 72 and gasket 74.
It will be seen how in Figure 5 the gasket 74 is fully
expanded, whereas in Figure 4, in the zone of the hinges 50, the
gasket 74 suitably accommodates itself with the elements of
the hinge, the flange trim sections, the securing nuts and
respective neoprene covers 68, while providing an effective seal
therealong.
Riverting to Figure 6, it will be seen that hinge plate
member 54 has an offset portion 53, adjoining the outer flange
portion 60, the amount of offset being sufficient to accommodate
a portion of door trim section 72 and the edge portion of door
gasket 74 in sandwiched relation therewith, against door flange
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64. Also, the hinge plate member 52 has an upstanding post
portion 53 projecting therefrom, illustrated as being
substantially at righ~ angles therefrom, for minimized
obstruction thereby. It will be seen from Figure 4 that the outer
flange portion 58 accommodates an upturned edge portion of
cabinet flange 62 and its associated trim section 70.
Turning to Figures 8 and 9, the steam generator 80 has
three supporting legs 82, each of which is centrally tapped to
receive a mounting capscrew in threaded retaining relation
therein. The case 84 has a base portion 86 and upstanding walls
88 thereabout. The base portion 86 contains an electric rodded
heating element 90, illustrated as being cast therein.
The upper surface 92 of base portion 86 is deeply
corrugated, being shown with deep grooves 94, the surfaces
thereof increasing the heat transfer area, in the case of the
illustrated embodiment by a factor of about two. It will be
evident that this transfer area factor can be selected from a
range. However, this illustrated factor of two, combined with the
easy to clean serrations has proven worthwhile. In addition, the
sharp edges 96 of the serrations facilitate ebulition, by
enhanced release of vapour bubbles travelling up the vertical
sides of the serrations, which in turn induces the release of
vapour bubbles from the transverse surfaces.
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