Thermal Spa Cover

Abstract

A thermal spa cover assembly [ 1000 ] includes an improved thermal spa cover [ 1100 ] having a first part [ 1111] and a second part which is held together with a hinge [ 1150 ], for sealing and retaining heat from a tub [ 130] . Cover [ 1100] is made of thermal insulation material to reduce conductive heat loss. It also employs a central gasket [ 1151 ] fits inside of the hinge [ 1150] and is attached to the first part [ 1111] to minimize gaps and heat loss. End gaskets [ 1157] are employed at the ends of the hinge [ 1150] to provide a better seal at the tub, spa cover interface. This seal is slightly wider than the openings, but is compressible to seal in the openings. A shield [ 1170] is attached to the upper side of the cover [ 1100] extending downward over the spa cover [ 1100] and the tub sides 135. It fits tightly around the full perimeter of the tub [ 1130] . Tie-downs sewn on top of the cover [ 1100] secure the cover [ 1100] to the spa tub [ 130] ; further preventing warmed air from escaping.

1 . An improved thermal spa cover assembly for covering a tub having sidewalls filled with heated water having a lip comprising:
 a first part having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inward surface, and at least one other surface connecting the top surface to the bottom surface to the internal surface, the first part comprising a heat insulating material,   a second part having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inward surface, and at least one other surface connecting the top surface to the bottom surface to the internal surface, the second part comprising a heat insulating material,   a hinge pivotally connecting the first part to the second part,   a shroud comprising a top cover and a shield, the top cover covering the first part and second part at the top surface (or integral with the top surface) and roughly occupying a plane approximately parallel with the first part and the second part, and the shield connected to or integral with the top surface, continuously extending from the top surface to a periphery, extending perpendicular to the plane, and adjacent to the sidewalls of the tub to make a gap free seal between the top cover and the periphery reducing the escape of heat.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , the hinge formed from the shroud. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , the hinge formed from the top cover of the shroud. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further including a buffer region having a buffer region temperature and existing between the shield periphery, the top cover, and the sidewalls. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , further including an envelopment existing between the heated water and the first and second parts, the envelopment having an envelopment temperature. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , the tub disposed in ambient air having an ambient air temperature, and the envelopment temperature being greater than the buffer region temperature, and the buffer region temperature being greater than the ambient air temperature. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further including an abutment existing between the inward surface of the first part and the inward surface of the second part at the location of the hinge, thereby forming a longitudinal channel having a channel length and a channel width. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , further including a central gasket comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and second surface having a gasket length roughly equivalent to the channel length,
 the central gasket having a gasket width defined by the distance between the first surface and the second surface, said gasket width being larger than the channel width to assist in minimizing heat from escaping from the tub through the abutment, the first surface being attached to the inward surface of the first part.   
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , the second surface of the central gasket having a releasable attachment for engaging the second surface with the inward surface of the second part. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , the central gasket extending over the tub lip at one or more tub lip/hinge interfaces, and the gasket width widening to an end gasket width at the one or more tub lip/hinge interfaces to minimize heat leakage at said tub lip/hinge interfaces. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 7 , further including one or more end gaskets located at one or more tub lip/hinge interfaces defined by a location where the tub lip and hinge are closest, each of the end gaskets comprising a first surface, a second surface, a tub lip surface for contacting the tub lip, and a hinge surface for contacting the hinge,
 each of the end gaskets having an end gasket width that is wider than the channel width, and the first surface of each of the end gaskets attached to the inward surface of the first part or the second part.   
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , the second surface of each end gasket having a releasable attachment for engaging the second surface with the inward surface of the second part or the first part. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , the central gasket made of a compressible material. 
   
   
       14 . A method of reducing heat loss from a tub filled with heated water comprising the steps of:
 providing an insulated first part having a top surface, the first part being constructed of a heat insulating material;   providing an insulated second part having a top surface, the second part being constructed of a heat insulating material;   pivotally connecting the first part to the second part;   applying a continuous shield connected at the top surfaces of the first and second parts, the shield sized and positioned to hang down along side the tub; and   placing the first and second parts and the shield over said tub to thermally insulate the hot water from the environment and to collect and retain escaping hot gases.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of attaching a central gasket to the first part or the second part on a portion of the first part or second part that comes in contact with the other of the first part or the second part. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the step of compressing the central gasket between a portion of the first part or second part that comes in contact with the other of the first part or the second part. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of compressing a central gasket between a portion of the first part or second part that comes in contact with the other of the first part or the second part. 
   
   
       18 . A heat shroud for reducing heat loss from a spa having spa walls and a tub lip and covered with a piece of insulated material having a top surface defined by a top surface edge, the heat shroud comprising a first periphery and a second periphery connected together by a wall, the first periphery connected to the top surface edge, and the second periphery enveloping the tub lip and laying adjacent to the spa walls. 
   
   
       19 . The heat shroud of  claim 18 , the wall continuously extending uninterrupted from the first periphery to the second periphery.