WO2017064362A1

WO2017064362A1 - A system for installation in a sauna or in other locations

Info

Publication number: WO2017064362A1
Application number: PCT/FI2016/000024
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dan Mertalehto
Original assignee: Kastee Relax Oy
Current assignee: Kastee Relax Oy
Priority date: 2015-10-16
Filing date: 2016-10-13
Publication date: 2017-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-16
Also published as: EP3362029A4; EP3362029A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for installation in a sauna room or any similar room with the purpose to generate under automatic control a percentage of humidity higher than normal in the steam room or any similar room and consequently better prerequisites for a relaxing sauna/steam room experience. The system comprises a nozzle unit (24) which is installed in the stone space (13) of the sauna stove (14) or in any other heat source, and from where water can be sprayed, and an automatic control system, by means of which a humidity and temperature sensor (1) measures the properties of the sauna room, thus adjusting by means of automatic controls pre-set standard moisture and temperature values.

Description

A system for installation in a sauna or in other locations

The purpose of this system is to provide humidity and temperature conditions under automatic control in a sauna room or in a separate closed moisture-resistant space similar to those of a traditional smoke sauna or moisture room. In fact, this does not compensate for the smoke and the atmosphere of a smoke sauna, but it still provides better prerequisites of a relaxing sauna experience.

The uniqueness of present sauna rooms consists in dry steam and relatively low humidity. In addition, when water is thrown on the sauna stove, moisture is generated in peaks that are not always pleasant.

The system is characterised by balancing and enhancing the bathing conditions in a sauna room. The system is fully automatic and electronically controlled by micro- circuits and the necessary humidity and temperature sensors. The control and the adjustment of the desired temperature, humidity and any other necessary command are performed as desired by using the control buttons of a control panel.

The device can also be used for generating a moisture and steam room. In this case, the room temperature is kept low and the necessary amount of moisture is introduced in the room by means of the system of the invention in order to achieve the adequate conditions with high relative percentage of moisture. The purpose of use being a moisture room, one can for instance convert a private sauna or other room into a Spa, i.e. a room for relaxation and for cure of commonly studied conditions, which anybody can search individually on the Internet or through corresponding information channels.

For private sauna rooms, various additional purposes of use can be created in the home environment. If desired, one can take "normal" sauna baths by throwing hot water on the sauna stove. The sauna can also be used for relaxation the way Turkish baths are used in the South. In other words, the same sauna room can be used for a new purpose.

It should also be noted that the system works perfectly well both with electrically heated and wood-burning sauna stoves. When a wood-burning sauna stove is used, the temperature can be manually controlled with the amount of wood, providing abundant moisture of the desired quality. Should the user wish to throw water on the sauna stove, this does not interfere with the system at all. In this case, the system merely restricts the amount of moisture generated by the device, and when the moisture has stabilised after a while, the device starts producing and balancing moisture.

Current saunas merely have a heating element, which is electrically heated or wood- burned. None of the producers supplies the essential part of this humidity system, especially not with a retrofitting facility. The average temperature of saunas is 70 to 100 °C, while the percentage of moisture is 10 to 60°, depending on the amount of water thrown on the sauna stove.

There are various types of evaporators operating on the principle of resistor heating by evaporating the water introduced into the sauna room. The essential feature of these systems is the same principle of operation as that of traditional room air humidifiers. The humidity produced by these devices is relatively low, and the steam does not emanate from the sauna stove stones, but from a separate device. As a consequence, the humidity produced in the sauna room is not mixed directly with the hot air coming from the sauna stove and hence it does not feel genuine. What is more, this does not evoke the traditional feeling of humidity produced by a sauna stove. These devices have been developed merely for generating steam by "boiling".

There are also various water jets with piping, which operate on the principle of generating steam and humidity, in the way throwing water on the stones does. All the devices available on the market are operated manually by pressing a jet button, emitting water through the nozzle for a certain period of time. The devices are not automatic in this case. The water jet is sprayed onto the surface of the sauna stove stones, where it evaporates. This case does not either evoke a sense of genuine humidity, since the jet is visible and correlates with the amount of water thrown with a scoop onto the sauna stove stones.

There have also been steam rooms on the market for centuries. Current steam rooms are a kind of continuation of the steam generators described above. A steam generator emits steam into the room. The room temperature is usually in the range 40 to 45 °C in these solutions.

The most ancient and traditional solutions were developed as early as in the period before the 16^th century, in the Turkish baths for instance. The essential feature of these solutions is that they do not comprise any sauna stove whatsoever and that heat is generated by steam, which is introduced into the sauna room through a piping. The temperature is usually in the range from 43 to 46 °C and the percentage of moisture is close to 100.

The purpose of the present system is to provide the desired uniform humidity and temperature under electronic control in the sauna or moisture room. The humidity will be as desired, corresponding e.g. to a Turkish bath or a traditional Finnish sauna. The device can be retrofitted in almost any existing sauna stove. In addition, the device and the system involve the potential of new markets for moisture rooms and saunas by providing an option for use of space and converting the sauna into a moisture room with health effects and operating in the new temperature range 46 to 70 °C with a high percentage of moisture in the range of 70 to 100%.

A person having some degree of fitting skills will not need a professional for the installation. The electric installation operates in the low-voltage range and there is only a small number of conductors to be connected. No plumber will be needed for fitting the water pipe, since the system can be connected from a washing machine connection or a tap connection by means of a washing machine hose or the like. It is also possible to connect a pressure-generating separately filled water tank to the device.

It is essential to consider that this device has the purpose of updating the sauna bath and the steam sauna. Thus, a traditional sauna operates in the temperature range 70 to 120 °C. At higher temperatures, without the risk of burning one's skin, one can hardly reach a higher percentage of moisture by throwing water on the sauna stove. Saunas in the southern countries, which are heated principally by steam, operate in the temperature range 43 to 46 °C and have the maximum percentage of moisture, i.e. 90 to 100%.

The system in accordance with the invention provides the desired circumstances in nearly all types of saunas, in which the heating element consists of a sauna stove heated by resistors or wood.

The operating environment is ideal when the temperature is in the intermediate range between that of a Turkish bath and that of a Finnish sauna, i.e. the temperature is approx. 45 to 65 °C and the percentage of moisture is 60 to 100%. A genuine feeling is produced by moisture emitted from a nozzle in the form of mist and evaporated mainly under the effect of hot air and mixing with the hot air. The entire system is fully automatic and controlled by 24V electronics. The device can be installed nearly by anybody, given that the water is taken from a washing machine connection, a tap connection or a separate pressure-generating water tank. In addition, the electric connection is totally safe since the operating voltage is 24V, with the transformer and the electronics placed outside the sauna room. It is also possible to use some other voltage.

The retrofitting facility is also an essential feature. A person having some extent of installation skills does not need a professional fitter for the installation. The electric installation is carried out in the 24V low-voltage range and there is only a small number of conductors to be connected. Likewise, no plumber is required for installing the water pipe, since the system allows for installation from a washing machine connection or a tap connection by means of a washing machine hose or any corresponding standard connection. It is also possible to connect a pressure- generating separately filled water tank to the device. The system can also be integrated in the system of a house or a sauna stove and also with permanent wiring and piping.

Moisture that is emitted from a nozzle mainly in the form of mist and evaporates under the effect of hot air and is mixed with the hot air will produce a feeling of genuine sauna moisture. The characteristics and various embodiments of the invention are described in the claims of the application.

The invention is explained in greater detail below by means of examples and with reference to the accompanying patent drawings.

Figure 1

Description of the system in accordance with the invention

A humidity and temperature sensor 1 is installed on the wall of a room suitable as the moisture room of a sauna or the like, the sensor measuring the characteristics of the room, such as moisture and temperature, and also any other characteristics to be measured. The measured data pass through a conductor 2 to a micro-circuit located in a separate housing 3. The housing may also be separate and wired in a different manner. The housing 3 accommodates a micro-circuit disc, which has components, the necessary program and intelligence, which has been separately programmed and installed. The control circuit can be regulated to the desired values with a separate program. The necessary values are stored in the memory of the micro-circuit. The housing 3 contains the necessary regulators, such as a humidity regulator and a temperature regulator. Any other characteristics of the room can also be adjusted by providing the necessary regulators in the housing. The housing 3 may also contain of information on the room to be measured in various forms, e.g. in digital form. The conductor 4 supplies 24V voltage to the housing 3 from a separate transformer. The conductor 4 may also supply voltage fed from a separate roof panel. Voltage can also be fed to the housing 3 by means of batteries or accumulators or in some other manner. The batteries or accumulators may be located in the housing.

The conductor 5 may control a contactor 6 or a similar device, by means of which the operation of a sauna stove 14 and/or the temperature of a sauna room is regulated. The controlled alternating current passes in the conductor 7 to the sauna stove 14 or to a separate heat source. The conductor 8 transmits the control to a solenoid valve 9, which adjusts the amount of water atomized 12 on e.g. the sauna stove or any other heat source. In the basic model, water is supplied from a common water connection under the required pressure and equipped with a tap, with a basic connection to a separate washing machine hose 10, and water is conducted to the sauna stove with a separate retro-fitted pipe, which can also be stationary or any other pipe 11, to the nozzle located in the sauna stove (fig 2/24), and then the water is evaporated under the effect of heat. A shield made of steel sheet or the like, possibly differently realized than in the drawing (fig 2/25), is attached to the pipe 11 and installed e.g. in the sauna stove 14, where the sauna stove stones 13 are arrayed around the shield according to separate instructions. The shield and the pipe part are illustrated in figure 2.

A top view 15 of the sauna stove section, with a pipe part 11 placed between the resistors, to which the water jet is directed and where it evaporates. The positioning may differ from that of the figure. Figure 2

The combination of a protective shield, a water pipe and a nozzle for the stone space of the sauna stove.

The device provides ideal moisture conditions for e.g. a sauna room or a similar moisture room. The purpose of use of the device has been devised for retro-fitting in existing sauna stoves or for advance factory-assembling in sauna stoves or similar heating elements. The positioning and installation of the water pipe can be carried out by retro-fitting. The water pipe can be fabricated adapted to different objects and with different dimensions for each case. The purpose of the protective shield is to provide sufficient air space for the atomizing nozzle and to protect the nozzle when the sauna stove is being installed.

The protective sheet 25 can be placed e.g. in the stone space of the sauna stove or in a similar device or heat source, in which apertures 29 have been cut, in the desired shape if desired, in order to let air and atomized moisture 12 to pass openly, the protective shield also having possibly differently cut apertures 28. If necessary, the steel shield can be turned 27 manually in the desired position, e.g. in parallel with the spraying, or in order to facilitate the installation of the sauna stove stones or to avoid the resistors. The cut sheet 25 can be folded in a rectangular shape 26 and on top of this a steel sheet 32 having apertures 29 cut for the same purpose can be installed e.g. by welding.

The protective sheet 31 can be fastened 23 to a water pipe 11 , to which a part 22 has been welded or fastened in some other manner, the part having threads allowing the sheet part to be fastened with nuts by hand. Inside the sheet part of the pipe, a nozzle 24 similar to that of oil burners or any similar nozzle may be provided. The water pipe can be bent to the desired shape 21 and it can be given the desired measures adapted to different objects and needs depending on the object of installation. The end of the pipe can be equipped e.g. by welding with a separately made part 20 having threads or any fitting for connecting a water hose or a solenoid valve to which a water hose has been connected. Pressure is generated by a separate pump in the water hose or the pipe or the mains pressure is utilized.

Figure 3

A model for installing a spraying system in circular sauna stoves.

The solenoid valve 9 emits water from the water pipe 11 onto the sauna stove 14, with a jet 12 being directed between the sauna stove resistors disposed between the stones of the sauna stove. The figure illustrates a top view of the installation, a sauna stove 15, with the nozzle sheet (fig 2/25) and the pipe 11 installed between the stones of the sauna stove. The installation may differ from the one illustrated. Figure 4

The sauna stove and the water tank.

A water tank is installed by retro-fitting or factory assemblage in the frame of the sauna stove 14, the tank containing water 42, which can be filled manually 41 or automatically. The tank has a filter 43 for filtering impurities, with the water passing through the filter to the pump 44, which is controlled by the system described above, from where the water is pressurized and passes through the solenoid valve 9, which is controlled 8 by said system, in the pipe 11 to the sauna stove, where a jet 12 and water vapour are generated under the control of the system. Figure 5

The sauna stove and a separate water tank.

A water tank 51 is installed by retro-fitting or factory assembly on the wall next to the sauna stove 14, the water tank containing water 42, which can be filled manually 41 or automatically. The tank has a filter 43 for filtering impurities, with the water passing through the filter to the pump 44, which is controlled by the system 45 described above, and from which the water is evacuated by pressurization and passes through the pipe or the hose 50 through the solenoid valve 9, which is controlled 8 by said system, in the pipe 11 to the sauna stove 14, where a jet 12 is generated under the control of the system. Control objects and examples of the system:

A water system produced with a separate pump, in which the pump generates the necessary pressure in order to cause the formation of mist. The water tank may be such that is filled by means of a "bucket" e.g. at a cottage, or filled automatically under control. The tank may be previously fixed to the sauna stove, such as in existing sauna stoves. The water tank may also be a separate tank mounted on the wall or the floor. The voltage can be generated by commonly available low-voltage ceiling panels or in any other manner.

The system may also be equipped with a separate heating element made from soapstone, steel sheet or any other material, in which the resistors are placed and which is electronically controlled by this device. The water jet described above is directed to the centre between the heating elements. The device system also allows for creating intermediate conditions and temperatures between those of a separate Turkish bath and those of a Finnish sauna.

The claims define a sauna room/room for throwing water on the stones and a sauna stove. The sauna room can naturally be any other room or moisture room and the sauna stove is not necessarily a sauna stove, but may also be any other similar heating element.

The water nozzle unit can be installed directly in an old sauna stove previously mounted on the wall and in new buildings it can be installed in the sauna stove in connection with the delivery of the sauna stove.

The entire system described above can be installed when a sauna, an apartment, a house property, a house or any similar space is being built or renovated.

At retro-fitting objects, a contactor kit can be installed in connection with the sauna stove, so that the ideal temperature can be produced by controlling such a kit.

A "cottage version" of the product is being developed, allowing the device to be controlled with 24V current ceiling panels.

A system with mobile control is also being developed, in which all the data and controls can be remote controlled over the Internet or as an application to be loaded.

The control system can be connected to existing intelligent systems or sauna stoves or apartments and saunas.

An individual heat source may be made for the system e.g. from soapstone, steel sheet or any other material that can be heated by electric resistors, wood or in a similar manner.

The system can also be equipped with a separate moisture-resistant space, into which moisture is directed under the control of the system.

In current systems, only the temperature is controlled by a thermostat. The great majority of affordable basic sauna stoves do not even have a thermostat, but a periodic switch attached to the sauna stove.

Claims

1. A system for installation in a sauna room or any other room, having the purpose of providing under automatic control a percentage of humidity above normal in a steam room or any other room, and consequently better prerequisites for a relaxing sauna/steam room experience, characterised in that the system comprises a nozzle unit (24) to be installed in the stone space (13) of the sauna stove (14) or in any other source of heat, through which water can be sprayed into the stone space, and an automatic control system, by means of which a humidity and temperature sensor (1) measures the properties of the sauna room, thus adjusting by means of automatic controls pre-set standard moisture and temperature values.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, characterised in that the automatic controls of the system comprise an encapsulated (3) micro-circuit, which controls a solenoid valve (9) for water supply and a contactor (6) by means of which the operation of the sauna stove (14) and/or the sauna room is controlled.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the nozzle unit (24) comprises a protective sheet (25) bent in U-shape and provided with apertures (28, 29).

4. A system as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the system comprises a water tank installed in the frame of the sauna stove (14) and containing water (42) and a water pump (44) by means of which a water jet (12) is produced.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the system comprises a water tank (51) installed on the wall next to the sauna stove (14) and containing water (42) and a water pump (44), by means of which a water jet (12) is produced.

6. A system as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the water supply to the nozzle (24) takes place by means of a water pipe (1 1).

7. A system as defined in claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the water tank is equipped with a water filter (43).