Spa with integrally molded working components and method for making same

Abstract

A spa with spa working components integrally molded into a foam spa body. Certain working components, including the water circulation lines, electrical lines, air jet lines and a pump/heater housing are pre-assembled over a female mold. The working components are maintained in spaced relation from the female mold by spacer means. A male mold is placed over the female mold, defining a foam cavity between opposing sides of the female mold and the male mold and fully enclosing the spa components therein. Expandable foam is introduced into the foam cavity, integrally forming the spa body and encasing the enclosed working components. The female and male molds are removed from the spa body, and a flexible liner is installed over inner and outer sides of the wall of the spa body. The pump/heater unit is installed within its housing and attached to the electrical and water lines therein.

1 . A spa comprising: 
 a. a water pump;    b. spa working components including a water pump inlet line having a first end connected to a water inlet for said pump, and a water pump discharge line having a first end connected to a water discharge for said pump;    c. an integrally formed spa body encasing said spa working components, said spa body having a floor with an outer periphery and a peripheral wall extending vertically and upwardly from said outer periphery, said peripheral wall having an inner side and an outer side;    d. a waterproof liner coextensive with said floor and an inner side of said peripheral wall, said liner forming a hydraulically impervious seal therein;    e. an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, said inlet and outlet fittings being installed over an inner side of said liner in predetermined locations and being in hydraulic communication, respectively, with a second end of said pump inlet line and a second end of said pump discharge line.    
   
   
       2 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said liner is made of a flexible material.  
   
   
       3 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said liner is vinyl.  
   
   
       4 . A spa as in  claim 1  further including a water heater in hydraulic communication either with said pump inlet line or said pump discharge line.  
   
   
       5 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said liner is further coextensive with said outer side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       6 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said peripheral wall is right-circular cylindrical in configuration.  
   
   
       7 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said floor includes a lower horizontal section, an intermediate horizontal section, and an upper inclined section.  
   
   
       8 . A spa as in  claim 7  including an inclined transition section between said lower horizontal section and said intermediate horizontal section.  
   
   
       9 . A spa as in  claim 7  in which said upper inclined section includes said outlet fitting.  
   
   
       10 . A spa as in  claim 7  in which said upper inclined section comprises a wedge having a linear forward edge extending across said intermediate horizontal section and an arcuate trailing edge in contingent relation with said inner side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       11 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said spa working components further include a pump housing, said pump housing having a wall portion intruding inwardly of said peripheral wall and an open portion accessible from said outer side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       12 . A spa as in  claim 1  in which said spa body is formed from an expandable foam which encases said spa working components.  
   
   
       13 . A spa as in  claim 12  in which said foam is either polyurethane, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropolyne, or a mixture of polystyrene and polyethylene.  
   
   
       14 . A spa as in  claim 1 , further including means to introduce air into said pump discharge line.  
   
   
       15 . A spa as in  claim 1 , further including at least one electrical light installed over said inner side of said liner, and further including electrical supply lines extending from said electrical light through said spa body to a power source.  
   
   
       16 . A spa comprising: 
 a a water pump;    b. a water heater;    c. spa working components including: a pump inlet line having a first end connected to a water inlet for said pump; a pump discharge line having a first end connected to a water discharge for said pump; and, a pump/heater housing having a wall portion and an open portion, said water pump and said water heater being located within said pump/heater housing;    d. an integrally formed spa body made of expandable foam, said spa body encasing at least a portion of each of said spa working components, said spa body having a floor with an outer periphery and a peripheral wall extending vertically and upwardly from said outer periphery, said peripheral wall having an inner side and an outer side;    e. a waterproof liner coextensive with said floor and an inner side of said peripheral wall, said liner forming a hydraulically impervious seal therein;    f. an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, said inlet and outlet fittings being installed over an inner side of said liner in predetermined locations and being in hydraulic communication, respectively, with a second end of said pump inlet line and a second end of said pump discharge line.    
   
   
       17 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said liner is made of a flexible material.  
   
   
       18 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said liner is vinyl.  
   
   
       19 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said liner is further coextensive with said outer side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       20 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said peripheral wall is right-circular cylindrical in configuration.  
   
   
       21 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said floor includes a lower horizontal section, an intermediate horizontal section, and an upper inclined section.  
   
   
       22 . A spa as in  claim 21  including an inclined transition section between said lower horizontal section and said intermediate horizontal section.  
   
   
       23 . A spa as in  claim 21  in which said upper inclined section includes said outlet fitting.  
   
   
       24 . A spa as in  claim 21  in which said upper inclined section comprises a wedge having a linear forward edge extending across said intermediate horizontal section and an arcuate trailing edge in contingent relation with said inner side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       25 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said open portion of said pump/heater housing is accessible from said outer side of said peripheral wall.  
   
   
       26 . A spa as in  claim 16  in which said spa body is formed from an expandable foam which encases said spa working components.  
   
   
       27 . A spa as in  claim 26  in which said foam is either polyurethane, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropolyne, or a mixture of polystyrene and polyethylene.  
   
   
       28 . A spa as in  claim 16 , further including means to introduce air into said pump discharge line.  
   
   
       29 . A spa as in  claim 16 , further including a water and air fixture in said pump discharge line for introducing a selective amount of air into water passing therethrough.  
   
   
       30 . A spa as in  claim 16 , further including at least one electrical light installed over said inner side of said liner, and further including electrical supply lines extending from said electrical light through said spa body to a power source.  
   
   
       31 . A method for making an integrally molded spa comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a female mold;    b. preassembling spa working components, including a water pump inlet line having a first end and a second end, and a water pump discharge line having a first end and a second end, and installing them in spaced relation over and in spaced relation from a cavity side of said female mold;    c. providing a male mold having a cavity side;    d. installing said cavity side of said male mold over said cavity side of said female mold, defining a foam cavity between opposing cavity sides of said female and male molds and fully enclosing said spa working components therein;    e. introducing expandable foam into said foam cavity, integrally forming a floor and a peripheral wall of a spa body while encasing said spa working components in foam; and,    f. removing said female and male molds from said spa body.    
   
   
       32 . A method as in  claim 31  further including the step of installing a flexible liner over said floor and an inner side of said peripheral wall, forming a hydraulically impervious seal therein.  
   
   
       33 . A method as in  claim 32  further including the steps of installing a motor within said spa body, connecting said first end of said pump inlet line to a water inlet of said pump and connecting said first end of said pump discharge line to a water discharge of said pump.  
   
   
       34 . A method as in  claim 33  further including the steps of installing an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting over an inner side of said liner in predetermined locations, and respectively connecting said second end of said pump inlet line and said second end of said pump discharge line with said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting.  
   
   
       35 . A method as in  claim 34  further including the step of installing a water heater in hydraulic communication with said pump discharge line.  
   
   
       36 . A method as in  claim 34  further including the step of installing an air jet fixture having an air inlet line within said pump discharge line.