Fitting and pipe section for jetted bath heaters

Abstract

A fitting and pipe section assembly 10 that is capable of being installed in tubing 20 A and 20 B of a jetted bath to render the tubing 20 A and 20 B adaptable to accept a close fit fluid flow device 30 . The fitting and pipe section assembly 10 includes a pipe section 12 , first and second fittings 18 A and 18 B, and first and second indicia 17 A and 17 B. The pipe section 12 has a center segment 16 between inlet and outlet end portions 14 A and 14 B. The inlet and outlet portions 14 A and 14 B may be placed in fluid flow communication with an inlet and an outlet of the tubing 20 A and 20 B. The first and second fittings 18 A and 18 B are disposed on the inlet and outlet portions of the pipe section 14 A and 14 B. The first and second indicia 17 A and 17 B on the pipe section 12 define the center segment 16 of the pipe section 12 and guide post-installation cutting of the pipe section 12 at predetermined points. The center segment 16 of the pipe section 12 may be selectively removed leaving the inlet and outlet portions 14 Aand 14 B including the first and second fittings 18 A and 18 B. The fitting and pipe section assembly 10 may accept the close fit device 30 between the inlet and outlet portions 14 Aand 14 B of the fitting and pipe section assembly 10.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A fitting and pipe section assembly that is capable of being installed in tubing of a jetted bath to render the tubing adaptable to accept a close fit heater device, comprising: 
 a pipe section having a center segment between inlet and outlet end portions for fluid flow coupling to an inlet and an outlet of the tubing;    first and second fittings disposed on the inlet and outlet portions of the pipe section;    wherein the center segment of the pipe section may be selectively removed leaving the inlet and outlet portions including the first and second fittings; and    wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly may accept the close fit device between the inlet and outlet portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pipe section includes first and second indicia on the pipe section that guide post-installation cutting of the pipe section at predetermined points and removal of the center segment so that the fitting and pipe section assembly may accept a close fit device between the remaining portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly is a unitary body.  
     
     
         4 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the close fit device may be removably secured to the fittings by the fastening assembly.  
     
     
         5 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the fastening assembly comprises a union nut and a split nut retainer.  
     
     
         6 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the close fit device has an inlet and an outlet with flanges positioned at the inlet and outlet; wherein the fastening assembly comprises an outer seal which may be positioned between the fitting and the flange, a split nut which may be placed over the flange and the fastening structure and tightened by rotating the split nut, and a nut cover which may be slid over the tightened split nut.  
     
     
         7 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the close fit device is selected from the group consisting of a heater, ozone generator, chemical dispenser, fragrance dispenser, filter, pump, valve, flow meter, or water softener.  
     
     
         8 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fitting and pipe section is further capable of being installed with a transverse tubing segment of a jetted bath, wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly further comprises a “T” junction; wherein the pipe section includes an inlet and outlet at the longitudinal ends of the pipe section and an aperture there between; and wherein a transverse pipe branch defining a port extends perpendicular to the pipe section from the aperture.  
     
     
         9 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the transverse pipe branch may be removably fastened to a transverse tubing segment of the jetted bath.  
     
     
         10 . A fitting and pipe section assembly that is capable of being installed in tubing of a jetted bath to render the tubing adaptable to accept a close fit heater device, comprising: 
 a pipe section having a center segment between inlet and outlet end portions for fluid flow coupling to an inlet and an outlet of the tubing;    first and second fittings disposed on the inlet and outlet portions of the pipe section;    wherein the pipe section includes first and second indicia on the pipe section that guide post-installation cutting of the pipe section at predetermined points;    wherein the center segment of the pipe section may be selectively removed from the pipe section by cutting at the first and second indicia, leaving the inlet and outlet portions including the first and second fittings; and    wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly may accept the close fit device between the inlet and outlet portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly.    
     
     
         11 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the close fit device may be secured to the fittings by a first and second fastening assembly.  
     
     
         12 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly is a unitary body.  
     
     
         13 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the close fit device may be removably secured to the first and second fittings by the first and second fastening assembly.  
     
     
         14 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the fastening assembly comprises a union nut and a split nut retainer.  
     
     
         15 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the close fit device has an inlet and an outlet with flanges positioned at the inlet and outlet; wherein the fastening assembly comprises an outer seal which may be positioned between the fitting and the flange, a split nut which may be placed over the flange and the fastening structure and tightened by rotating the split nut, and a nut cover which may be slid over the tightened split nut.  
     
     
         16 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the close fit device is selected from the group consisting of a heater, ozone generator, chemical dispenser, fragrance dispenser, filter, pump, valve, flow meter, or water softener.  
     
     
         17 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the fitting and pipe section is further capable of being installed with a transverse tubing segment of a jetted bath, wherein the fitting and pipe section assembly further comprises a “T” junction; wherein the pipe section includes an inlet and outlet at the longitudinal ends of the pipe section and an aperture there between; and wherein a transverse pipe branch defining a port extends perpendicular to the pipe section from the aperture.  
     
     
         18 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the transverse pipe branch may be removably fastened to the transverse tubing segment of the jetted bath.  
     
     
         19 . The fitting and pipe section assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second indicia comprise annular grooves.  
     
     
         20 . A method of modifying an installed jetted bath to accept a close fit heater device using a fitting and pipe section assembly that is installed in a segment of tubing of a jetted bath, which comprises: 
 cutting the assembly along first and second indicia defined at first and second ends of a pipe section of the fitting and pipe section assembly;    removing the cut pipe section from the fitting and pipe section assembly creating a gap between the first and second end portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly;    inserting a close fit device in the fitting and pipe section assembly gap without displacement of the first and second end portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly; and    securing the close fit device in fluid flow communication with the first and second end portions of the fitting and pipe section assembly.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the fastening assembly comprises a split nut portion and a nut cover portion, and where the method further comprises the steps of sliding the nut cover portion of the fastening assembly over the first and second ends prior to inserting the close fit device; securing the close fit device to the fitting with the split nut; and retaining the split nut by sliding the nut cover over the split nut.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of inserting an outer seal against the fastening assembly prior to the insertion of the close fit heater device, so that upon insertion of the close fit device the outer seal is between the close fit device and the fastening assembly.  
     
     
         23 . A fitting and pipe section assembly and interchangeable heater device for mounting in fluid flow communication in tubing of a jetted bath, comprising: 
 a fitting and pipe section assembly including a pipe section having a center segment between inlet and outlet end portions, each of the end portions carrying a first close fit fitting, the inlet and outlet end portions being adapted to be coupled in fluid flow communication to an inlet and outlet of the tubing to install the assembly in the tubing; and    a heater device having a tubular body defining an inlet end and an outlet end, each of the inlet and outlet ends carrying a second close fit fitting, wherein the center segment installed assembly can be selectively laterally removed from between the inlet and outlet end portions and the fluid flow device can then be laterally inserted in place of the center segment between the inlet and outlet end portions of the installed assembly, with the second close fit fittings of the device engaging the first close fit fittings of the assembly without displacement of the installed inlet and outlet end portions of tubing.