APPARATUS FOR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF THE HUMAN BODY BY MEANS OF THE APPLICATION OF WARM AND/OR COLD FLUIDS Technical Field The present invention relates to an apparatus for the therapeutic treatment of the human body by means of the application of warm and/or cold fluids, particularly suitable for having hay baths, mud baths, clay baths and essential oil baths.

The invention further relates to the methods for using such apparatus depending on which type of treatment the person is to undergo. Background Art

It is known that man has been employing for centuries particular natural methods which make it possible both to achieve an intense feeling of well-being and to obtain curative effects for particular types of disorders, such as for example arthrosis, forms of joint inflammation, chronic pains of the spinal column, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle spasms, joint stiffness and others.

As an example, these treatments are based on the tradition of farmers of resting after the hard work of the day by sleeping in the hay cut for the cows, which was able to take away the tiredness from working in the fields and to give back strength.

These practices, known as hay baths, mud baths, clay baths and baths of particular essential oils, consist in actual immersions of the person in these natural products, during which the temperature reaches values between 40 and 70°, stimulating intense sweating, which persists even after the application.

The therapeutic character of these methods originates from the emission and effective absorption of the active ingredients contained in these natural products by the body due to the moist heat that is released. Recently, this type of practice has been introduced also in fitness

centers, hotels and even at home, both, as already mentioned, for curative purposes and for cosmetic treatments and in general for "wellness" uses.

For this purpose, as is known, through the years attempts have been made to provide devices that on the one hand allow utilization of these practices to obtain increasingly beneficial effects.

On the other hand, an attempt has been made to develop devices that would lower the supply costs of the natural products and allowed a simpler and faster application of these methods.

In this regard, one of the most recent and remarkable devices is the one disclosed in EP 1004286.

Such device in fact comprises a concave structure, similar to a bathtub, in the top of which there is a resting means which makes it possible to support a person in lying position.

For performing the treatments cited above, the device has a source of steam which, through pipes, conveys the steam into the tank so as to provide the necessary hot and humid environment.

The innovation of this device is that it uses part of the steam generated by the source to heat the water introduced in the bottom of the tank. The combination of the heated water and steam makes it possible to achieve versatility in the use of such device.

However, the use of water in the above cited device has some fundamental drawbacks, which will now be described in detail.

A first drawback is due to the fact that heating the water by means of steam brings the water to the evaporation temperature, gradually lowering its level inside the tank. Therefore, for keeping the level of the water constant it is necessary to supply it permanently from an appropriately provided source by means of a pipe.

This leads to a continuous supply of water, which accordingly increases the operating costs of the device.

A second important drawback due to the use of the water inside the tank forces operators to perform frequent operations for cleaning such device in order to obviate the accumulation of inevitable dirt.

Finally, the use of water for heating, not only of the body of the person being treated but also of the surrounding environment, does not ensure that the desired temperature is reached quickly, accordingly extending the time between one treatment and the next and consequently reducing the number of daily treatments performed and the benefit arising from the use of such device. The present invention seeks to eliminate the drawbacks cited above.

Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the therapeutic treatment of the human body which has a simpler structure than the devices of the background art, ensuring higher versatility for the various uses.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that makes it possible to maintain a higher degree of cleanliness and hygiene than the devices of the background art without performing frequent operations for cleaning the apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body that allows ensuring better control of the characteristics of the fluids used during the treatment, such as for example the pressure of the steam.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body as defined in claim 1.

Further characteristics of the apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body according to the invention and of the methods for using it are described in the dependent claims. Advantageously, the possibility of controlling more precisely the

characteristics of the fluids used during the operation of the apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the time needed to reach the temperature desired for the treatments.

Moreover, also advantageously, accurate control of these characteristics makes it possible to optimize treatment cycles, obtaining results, both from a curative viewpoint and from an aesthetic viewpoint, which are more effective than those achieved with the devices of the background art.

A further advantage is due to the fact that the apparatus according to the invention, by not requiring the use of water, reduces expenses due to the supply of said water. Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, given hereinafter by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic sectional front view of an apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the two delivery ports for steam and for hot. or cold air inside the concave structure that belongs to the apparatus according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the invention

An apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body according to the invention is shown in its entirety in Figures 1 and 2, where it is designated by the reference numeral 1.

In general, the operation of the apparatus 1 provides for the introduction of hot and/or cold fluids within a concave structure 2, similar to

a bathtub.

Supporting means 3 are connected to upper edges 21 of the concave structure 2 and make it possible to support the person to be subjected to the treatments in a substantially lying position. In particular, in the embodiment described here and shown in Figure

2, the supporting means 3 consist of a flexible net-like structure.

In different embodiments, the supporting means 3 might be provided by means of uniform material which is not net-shaped.

As regards the concave structure 2, it preferably but not necessarily has a profile that tapers toward the bottom 22 in a vertical cross-section, as can be seen in Figure 1 , for better upward conveyance of the warm and/or cold fluids that arrive from the bottom.

In this regard, the apparatus 1 according to the invention further comprises a source of steam 4 which, through a first tube 5, introduces the steam into the concave structure 2.

In particular, the first tube 5 has a first delivery port 51 proximate to the bottom 22 of the concave structure 2.

As regards the source of steam 4, in the particular embodiment described here it comprises an external steam boiler 41 with associated first adjustment means 6, which make it possible to control the pressure of the steam introduced within the concave structure 2.

In the particular embodiment described here, the first adjustment means 6 comprise a pressure regulator 61 , which is adapted to measure the pressure of the steam generated by the steam boiler 41. In a preferred further embodiment, the source of steam 4 can be arranged inside the structure of the apparatus 1 according to the invention, not externally as described earlier.

According to the invention, the apparatus 1 for therapeutic treatment of the human body further has a source of warm or cold air 7, which makes the hot or cold air flow by means of a second tube 8 within the concave

structure 2, as can be seen in Figure 2.

In particular, the first delivery port 51 of the already cited first tube 5 is arranged within a second delivery port 81 of the corresponding second tube 8, as can be seen in the detail of Figure 3. The usefulness of this arrangement is based on the fact that the steam and warm or cold air mix proximately to the delivery ports 51 and 81, providing the outside environment, consisting of the space obtained from the concave structure 2, with a combination of hot or cold air and steam, which if adjusted appropriately makes it possible to perform the various types of treatment.

In the embodiment described here and shown in Figure 3, the delivery ports 51 and 81 are mutually concentric and aligned according to the lateral profile.

In other embodiments, the two delivery ports 51 and 81 may not be mutually concentric and one can protrude more or be more recessed than the other according to design requirements.

As regards the source of warm or cold air 7, preferably but not necessarily it comprises fan means 71 for generating air, which are connected in series to burner means 72, which heat the previously produced air, as can be seen in Figure 1.

If one wishes to supply warm air inside the apparatus, the burner means 72 are not activated.

This air is then conveyed, as already mentioned earlier, by the second tube 8 into the concave structure 2. As in the case of the first steam adjustment means 6, the apparatus 1 also comprises second means 9 for adjusting the warm or cold air.

In particular, the second adjustment means 9 have a thermostat 91, which measures the temperature inside the concave structure 2 and accordingly adjusts the introduction of air therein. Finally, in the particular embodiment described here and shown in

Figure 1 , the apparatus 1 according to the invention further comprises electronic control means 10, which are connected electrically to both types of adjustment means 6 and 9 so as to be able to control automatically the adjustment of the characteristics of the warm fluids introduced within the concave structure 2.

In particular, the apparatus 1 according to the invention has a PLC system 101, which is arranged within the structure of the device 1 and, by receiving as inputs the data acquired by the adjustment means 6 and 9 cited above, provides in output the pulses needed to control the adjustment means and therefore the pressure characteristics of the steam and the temperature characteristics of the air.

Moreover, the PLC system 101 makes it possible to perform suitable preset treatment cycles, so as to vary automatically the characteristics of the steam and warm or cold air during use of the apparatus, according to requirements.

In different embodiments, not illustrated here, instead of electronic control means 10 the apparatus 1 can be provided with manual control means, which however make it possible to achieve a coarser adjustment of the characteristics of the steam and of the warm or cold air. With the apparatus 1 according to the invention described above it is possible to work in three different modes, as explained hereafter.

According to the invention, the first operating method provides for the operation of both sources of steam and warm or cold air and then for the mixing of the two warm and/or cold fluids to heat the body and the outside environment.

This first operating method is used for example for treatments such as saunas or Turkish baths.

A classic method of use consists in activating the single source of steam, without introducing warm or cold air, for example for treatments such as a hay bath or a milk bath.

Finally, again according to the invention, the apparatus can be used with activation of only the warm or cold air source, which is ideal for performing massages in a warm or cold environment.

Operationally, prior to the beginning of the actual treatment cycle, the operators of a wellness center apply a layer of one of the natural products cited above, such as for example hay, clay or essential oils, on the surface of the supporting means 3 and then start the source of steam 4 and/or the source of warm or cold air 7 depending on the type of treatment to which the customer is to be subjected. This activation of the sources, which precedes the actual treatment, is intended to bring the natural product that is used and the environment that surrounds the apparatus 1 to the ideal preset working temperature.

Once these ideal conditions have been reached, the customer is made to lie down in the appropriately provided supporting means 3 on the layer of natural product.

At this point the operator starts a treatment cycle either by choosing a specific preset program or by selecting manually the values of the steam pressure and of the air temperature.

In this regard, depending on the type of treatment to which the customer is to be subjected, the operator can vary the pressure of the steam by controlling the pressure regulator 61.

In particular, the operator can choose whether to introduce in the concave structure 2 steam of the humid type or steam of the dry type, depending on which effect one wishes to obtain. Usually, the steam of the dry type that is obtained with a pressure of approximately 3 atmospheres is used to perform treatments such as "Russian baths".

Humid steam, obtained with a pressure of approximately 1 atmosphere, instead makes it possible to perform treatments such as for example "Turkish baths".

On the basis of what has been stated, it is thus clear that the therapeutic treatment of the body according to the invention and the methods of use of such apparatus achieve the intended aim and all of the objects. In particular, the aim of providing an apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body that has a simpler structure than the devices of the background art, ensuring higher versatility for the various uses, has been achieved.

Another object that has been achieved is the provision of an apparatus that makes it possible to maintain a higher degree of cleanliness and hygiene than the devices of the background art without performing frequent operations for cleaning the apparatus.

Finally, another object that has been achieved is the provision of an apparatus for therapeutic treatment of the human body that makes it possible to ensure better control of the characteristics of the fluids used during the treatment, such as for example steam pressure.

During execution, the apparatus according to the invention and the methods of application of such apparatus are susceptible of modifications and variations, not described and not shown, which are provided in order to improve its functionality and make its construction cheaper.

These further embodiments that are not described and any others which are not cited, are to be understood as being all protected by the present patent if they lie within the scope of the appended claims.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VI2008A000248 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each

element identified by way of example by such reference signs.