US3591872A

US3591872A - Whirlpool apparatus for bathtub

Info

Publication number: US3591872A
Application number: US793021*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Guillermo J Vanegas; Byron Martin Veath
Original assignee: American Standard Inc
Current assignee: Trane US Inc
Priority date: 1969-01-22
Filing date: 1969-01-22
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13
Also published as: NL7000930A; FR2025336A5; BE739779A; DE1948560A1; CA944903A; GB1282648A

Abstract

A hydrotherapeutic apparatus for use with a conventional bathtub. The apparatus produces an active whirlpool stream within the bathtub. The apparatus includes a pump, located in a remote point, having a conduit means coupled to the normal drain of the bathtub, for receiving water from the bathtub via the drain, raising the water pressure and for reapplying the withdrawn water under pressure through the same drain. A unitary nozzle apparatus may be inserted into the drain of the bathtub whenever whirlpool action is desired and this unitary structure includes means for feeding air for venturi action into the nozzle structure for ''''bubbling'''' the water emitted through the nozzle.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Guillermo]. Vanegas;

Byron Martin Veath, both of Louisville, Ky. 121] App]. No. 793,021

[22] Filed Jan. 22, 1969 I451 Patented July 13, 1971 [73] Assignee American Standard Inc. New York, N.Y.

[54] WHIRLPOOL APPARATUS FOR BATHTUB 14 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.C1 4/178, 4/180 [51] lnt.C1 A47k 3/10 [50] Field olSearch 4/178, 180; 128/44, 66; 285/138 [56) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 311,149 1/1885 Stevens 285/138 3,213,889 10/1965 Cotman 285/138 Nozzle Structure Primary ExaminerHenry K. Artis Attorneys-Jefferson Ehrlich and Tennes 1. Erstad ABSTRACT: A hydrotherapeutic apparatus for use with a conventional bathtub. The apparatus produces an active whirlpool stream within the bathtub. The apparatus includes a pump, located in a remote point, having a conduit means coupled to the normal drain of the bathtub, for receiving water from the bathtub via the drain, raising the water pressure and for reapplying the withdrawn water under pressure through the same drain. A unitary nozzle apparatus may be inserted into the drain of the bathtub whenever whirlpool action is desired and this unitary structure includes means for feeding air for venturi action into the nozzle structure for bubbling" the water emitted through the nozzle.

'PATENIED JUL] 3 IHTI SHEET 1 BF 6 INVENTORS G. J. Vonequs BY B. M. Veoth ATTORNEY PATENTEnJuualen v 359L872 snmsure Pump Motor ,4 Pump INVENTORS G. J. Vuneqos Fig. 5. P -w ATTORNEY PATENIED JULI sum 3 591' 872 sum u or 6 INVENTORS \L- m- W G. J. Va 08 an. h

v I BY g ATTORNEY PATENTEU JUL! 3 I9?! 3591' 872 sum 5 0F 6 INVENTORS G. J. Vane as BY am. Vent MAJ-A4 M ATTORNEY WHIRLPOOL APPARATUS FOR BATIITIJB This invention relates to fluid-circulating apparatus for creating a whirlpool bath within a conventional or existing bathtub. The invention provides a so-called unitarynozzle structure which is easily and readily mounted in the drain hole of the bathtub whenever therapeutic whirlpool activity is desired and which is easily and readily removed from the drain hole so that the bathtub will be returned to its original, conventional shape and provide no hindrances whatever, either at the drain hole or at any other location within the bathtub, so that the bathtub may be used for normal or conventional functions thereafter. 4

It is well known that a whirlpool or therapeutic bath may be employed for medical and other reasons, i.e., for therapeutic message in the treatment or relief of sore muscles, rheumatic or arthritic conditions, and other medical or health-improving effects. Complicated structures have heretofore been proposed and offered for sale for converting a residential bathtub into an apparatus for circulating the water in the bathtub to create desired whirlpool activity for therapeutic and other effects. Prior apparatus for this purpose involved making permanent changes and additions in the physical structure of the bathtub so that the bathtub would be provided with permanent, irremovable barriers and hazards which confined the user and which the user had to avoid for normal bathing purposes. Furthermore, prior proposed equipments.

were so complex that they required considerable training and experience to install the equipments and to use them. Moreover, the removal of the parts exposed within the tub was most difficult, if not impossible, and, when they were removed, the parts were so large that they had to be stored in a separate compartment of the bathroom or in another room. Also because of the many parts and their complexity, the costs were often prohibitive and this discouraged the use of such equipments even for people of affluence. These were some of the problems encountered in prior proposes schemes for producing whirlpool baths in conventional bathtubs.

It is one of the main objects of this invention to provide apparatus for generating a whirlpool water pattern in a bathtub, which apparatus is simple and compact especially in relation to the limited internal space of the bathtub. It is important to have such equipment occupy a minimum of space within the bathtub so as to maximize the space within the bathtub for the whirlpool activity and for other normal bathtub functions.

Another of the objects of this invention resides in the con struction and organization of the apparatus of this invention provided for whirlpool activity within a conventional bathtub, so that only a small but significant part or unit of the apparatus may be inserted into the bathtub when whirlpool service is desired. It is important that the bathtub may be prepared for whirlpool activity with a minimum of effort and that, upon completion of the use of the apparatus, the unit may be easily removed by the user to return the bathtub to its conventional shape for its typical uses without any impediments whatever.

A further object of this invention is to draw water from the bathtub through its drain hole, to feed the same water under pressure through the same drain hole into the bathtub and to aerate the water as it is supplied through a nozzle structure coupled to the drain hole so as to generate the whirlpool activity. The nozzle structure should be so organized and arranged that, when the nozzle equipment is removed from the inner side of the bathtub at the end of the whirlpool activity interval, the bathtub will be fully returned to and maintained in its conventional shape and not provide any hazards or impediments for the normal use of the bathtub thereafter.

A further object of this invention resides in providing a permanently fixed pump beyond the confines of the bathtub and a removable aerated nozzle structure to be fitted to and coupled with the drain hole of a conventional bathtub, so that the pump will receive water only from the drain hole, return the same water under pressure only through the same drain hole and feed the same pressurized water to the nozzle structure along with a controllable supply of air so as to whirl the bubbled water through the bathtub for therapeutic or other acmen.

A special feature of the nozzle structure of this invention provides that it may be easily and quickly inserted as a single unit into the drain hole only when whirlpool activity is desired and it may be easily and quickly removed when thewhirlpool activity is no longer needed.

Another special feature of the unitary nozzle structure and the related equipment of this invention provides that it may be inserted in or removed from the drain hole without tools, and when the unit is removed, the bathtub structure will be immediately restored to its original, conventional shape unencumbered by any barrier or hindrance so that the bathtub user will be free to use the bathtub for bathing or showering purposes without any hazard whatever.

An added and important feature of this invention is the provision of means -to prevent water fed from the bathtub through the pump and pressurized thereby from reentering the bathtub when the nozzle structure has been removed from the drain hole. This feature obviates any disturbance of the user caused by the surprising or shocking experience of viewing a pressurized stream of water moving toward and directed at the ceiling and, in many cases, damaging the bathroom ceiling or walls.

This invention as well as its other objects and features will be better understood from the more detailed description hereinafter following when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. ll illustrates part of a conventional bathtub and part of the added apparatus which is to be combined with the bathtub for providing therapeutic or whirlpool service;

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment, partly in section, illustrating the interrelationship of some of the components of the therapeutic or whirlpool apparatus to the conventional bathtub proper;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the whirlpool nozzle assembly unit which is to be inserted into the conventional drain hole of the conventional bathtub when therapeutic or whirlpool service is to be provided;

FIG. 4 shows, in its

subdivisions

4a, 4b and 4c, the structure of the drain plug fillerunit which may be inserted into the conventional bathtub drain hole when whirlpool service is not desired, but which is to be removed when the whirlpool service is to be made available;

FIG. 5 shows the electrical circuitry which is a part of this invention and is used for time-controlled whirlpool service;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective of some of the essential components of this invention;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the ell connector mechanism when viewed along lines 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 illustrates a sectional view of the ell connector mechanism when viewed along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 depicts another view of the ell connector mechanism when observed along lines 99 of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 10 and 11 show sectional views of alternative forms of the ell connector mechanism as seen along lines 10-40 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of the nozzle structure unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 illustrates a lateral view, partly in section, of the nozzle structure unit; and

FIG. 14 shows a top plan view of the nozzle component.

The same or similar reference characters will be employed throughout the drawing to designate the same or similar parts.

The mechanism for carrying out the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and, while many of the structural components or units are shown in the drawing, they will be generally described only in enough detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and especially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the bathtub is designated 10 and is a conventional bathtub the bottom of which is designated 11. The bathtub l0 is one that is available in many models. it embodies a typical drain opening or hole l2 which is to be fluidically coupled to a water pump M of any well-known type; and the pump lll is fluidically connected or coupled to the drain opening 212 by means of two separate paths each of which may be mechanically flexible. One of the paths includes a pipe system in which feeds water from the drain opening 112 to the pump M and the other of which is connected by means of a pipe system 18 to the pump 14 for returning the same water, raised in pressure by the pump, to the bathtub llll through the same drain opening 12. ln other words, the drain opening 112 is used both for supplying water from within the bathtub Hill to pump 114i and also for allowing pressurized water to reenter the bathtub 10. The water reentering the bathtub will be employed for whirlpool activity as will be described hereinafter, and the same water will be recirculated again and again for the whirlpool activity. Thus, water of a sufficient volume and temperature, previously fed to the bathtub ill, will serve as the fluid medium for the whirlpool service.

Shown spaced from the drain opening 112 of FlG. ll merely for illustration, there is a unitary, easily removable and transportable nozzle structure l9, including a nozzle 26 which is coupled to the drain opening 112 by means ofa pipe 861 extending to and insertable in the drain opening T2 in the bottom ill of the bathtub W. The unitary nozzle structure 19 also includes an air pipe 22 through which air is supplied to the nozzle to be aspirated with the water to be discharged through the nozzle 20 into the bathtub W. Water so aspirated yields air bubbles" as it is emitted from the nozzle 2% and transported throughout its swirling flow within the bathtub lllll. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 and T3, water fed into the bathtub 10 may be controlled by a knob or handle 24 which, when rotated by hand, changes the position of a butterfly valve 26 by any desired amount. The position of the butterfly valve 26 controls not only the rate of flow of the water but also its pressure and, in addition, the amount of aspiration delivered to the water entering the bathtub Ml.

The upper end of the air pipe 22 is fitted with a manipulatable knob 30 which fits over openings or vents designated 32 within the upper end of the air pipe 22. By adjusting the knob 30, there is established a control of the amount of air delivered through the vents $2 of the air pipe 22 to the nozzle 2TB to mix with and aspirate the water fed through the nozzle 20. This provides a second and independent control of the amount of aspiration developed by the nozzle mechanism in delivering bubbled water into the bathtub ill.

The mechanism for opening or closing the drain opening T2 of the bathtub llll may include a pipe as, a controllable knob or handle 38, and a special ell connector system dill which is preferably located beneath the bottom ll of the bathtub it). As shown more fully, for example, in H6. 2, manipulation of the handle or knob 38 controls the vertical disposition of appended linkages 39 of any well-known type which in turn control the vertical position or displacement of a seal plug dll. When the seal plug dll is raised in response to a movement of knob 38, water in the bathtub Ml will be released and discharged through the ell connection system dill to the tube or pipe 435 leading to the sewer system. On the other hand, when the seal plug 411 is returned to its lower position by movement of knob 38, water within the bathtub ill will be held therein and retained at its then existing level. Thus, the seal plug 4i will be retained in its lower position whenever whirlpool service is to be obtained.

The pump M is vented by means ofa pipe 34.1Pipe 34 is employed primarily for removing air from the pump lid in order to prime the pump so that it may readily act upon the incoming water fed through the drain opening to the pump through pipe system 116. Air discharged from the pump M through pipe 34 will flow through an opening 35 (see PM]. 2) at the upper end of pipe 36 and be released into the bathroom via the usual openings around escutcheon 37. A. small amount of water, perhaps a pint of water per minute, will also be pumped by pump 14 through pipe 34 toward the bathtub W. This small volume of water will be discharged through the overflow pipe 3t and through pipe l3 into the sewer system. A small diameter orifice in the housing of the pump ll may be employed to restrict the amount of this flow through the vent pipe 34}.

The ell connector system All) and the nozzle structure 119 are arranged, in accordance with this invention, so that the pipe fill of the nozzle structure 119, which is insertable in and coupled to the drain opening H2 of the bathtub lit to the nozzle 20, is always positioned so that it is below the lower level 11 ll of the bathtub when the whirlpool system is in use. This pipe fill is shown in H0. 2. When the unitary nozzle structure T9, with its air pipe 22 and the nozzle 20, is removed from the drain opening l2 upon completion of the whirlpool service, the bottom it of the bathtub lltl will be fully restored to its normal condition. That is, no element of the nozzle structure 19 or the whirlpool equipment will protrude through and above the drain opening 112 and above the level 1111 of the bathtub nor near any other part of the internal structure of the bathtub llb. This is an important safety feature in the prevention of accidents.

ln addition, when the nozzle at the end of whirlpool service structure it? is removed from the drain opening 112, water accidentally discharged by operation of the pump 14 will be driven through pipe system is, then through the ell connector system 40 and down through the pipe 433 to the sewer system if the seal plug dl is open. None of the pumped water will be forced into the bathtub ill proper to produce a trajectory stream at the drain opening l2 when the nozzle structure 119 is removed. This feature is obtained by the amount of suction pressure developed in the pipe system 116 which leads to the pump l4 and this suction shunts the water at the ell connector system an to the pump M and prevents the water from being driven through the drain opening l2 into the bathtub l0. Consequently water pumped by the pump 14 will not be sprayed or forcibly transmitted into the bathtub ill). This is another important safety feature. This feature serves to prevent the formation of a water jet which is directed toward the ceiling or walls and, at the same time, the bathtub user cannot be startled.

This arrangement is therefore in sharp contrast to other arrangements heretofore suggested in at least two important respects. (1) There is no physical element above the drain opening 12 upon removal of the whirlpool equipment over which a user may trip or otherwise be impeded. (2) Water pumped while the drain opening 112 remains open, whether or not the pumping is brought on accidentally or otherwise and whether or not the seal plug 411i is open or closed, will not cause water to be forcibly driven upwardly through the drain opening 12 into the bathtub 110. Under such conditions, the user of the bathtub will not become startled or otherwise emotionally affected, as already suggested, viewing a vertically cast spray moving at considerable velocity upwardly through the drain opening 12 at the base of the bathtub ill). The ceiling and walls of the bathroom will hence be protected from damage due to usage or misusage of the equipment, even upon accidental or unintentional usage of the whirlpool equipment.

The ell-shaped connector 40, with its drainage hole as at its bottom (alternative drainage holes are shown in H68. 10 and ill provides complete drainage of the water within the bathtub lltl through the drain opening 112 into the sewer connection established by pipe 43. Hence, contaminated water within the bathtub will not remain in the bathtub for the next use of the bathtub. This is a health and safety feature.

As shown in FIG. 2, tiller plug 7b is insertable into the drain opening l2 whenever the bathtub Ml is to be used for normal bathing purposes and not for whirlpool activity. As shown in FlG. do, 4b and 4c, the filler plug '7ll is specially contoured and arranged so that it need not be removed when the bathtub 10 is to be drained of its water. To accomplish this, the filler plug 70, as shown in H6. l, is provided with adequate lateral openings "Ill and 72, which are sufficient to bypass and release the water from the bathtub 310 into the ell connector system 49 and the leadout pipe 43. The filler plug 70, however, is easily removable from the bathtub l whenever desired so that the nozzle structure equipment 19, as shown in FIG. 1, may be inserted into the drain opening 12 for the whirlpool service.

It will be noted'that the nozzle unit 19 is inserted into the drain opening 12 or removed therefrom whenever desired merely by a simple vertical displacement or movement. This nozzle unit 19 is readily applicable to conventional bathtubs. The bathtub requires no physical change to accommodate the nozzle mechanism 19. This is an important feature in that it makes the mechanism for whirlpool activity an important accessory easily available for use in the bathtub proper at all desired times without interfering with or adversely affecting the normal bathtub functions.

HO. shows the electrical mechanism that may be employed for the operation and control of the whirlpool apparatus. FlG. 5 includes a timer switch 54, a transformer 60 and a relay 62 which are coupled to a conventional power supply 65 which may be any 120 -volt AC source of voltage. The timer switch 54 may be independently mounted or, if desired, it may be included in a console unit which will also include a solenoid valve 50 together with another timer switch 52, as shown in FIG. 5, all of which are housed in a common housing 56 whenever a timed solenoid control mechanism is desired.

The primary winding 90 of the transformer 60 is shown connected directly into the AC source 65. The secondary winding 92 of the transformer 60 feeds current through the winding of relay 62 and through the timer switch 54, so that the timer switch 54, when actuated, will supply sufficient voltage to the winding of the relay 62, This will cause the relay 62 to operate and remain operated for a period of time determined by the timer switch 54. When operated, the armature of relay 62 will close the circuit of the motor of pump 14, whereupon the pump 14 will be operated in a conventional manner with current supplied to its motor by source 65. The pump 14 will then be activated to feed water through the interconnected piping and drain opening 12 to the nozzle 20, as previously described, thereby feeding aerated water into the bathtub through nozzle 20 for a period of time determined by the positioning and adjustment of the timer switch 54. Obviously the user will manipulate the timer switch 54 to fix and limit the time factor. For medical reasons, a predetermined maximum interval may be tolerated for any particular individual. In some cases, to 30 minutes may be tolerated.

In accordance with this invention, the wiring of the transformer 60 and relay 62 together with the mechanism for the timer switch 54 are arranged solely for safe low voltage operation such, for example, as 24 volts. The 24-volt value may be slightly raised or it may be lowered to l2 volts or even to a lower value. Such a low voltage in the wiring is an important safety feature. By always maintaining a low voltage condition in the operating circuitry, the mechanism for whirlpool action is continuously under control of the bathtub user without any real physical hazard due to electrical shock. The low current through the relay winding 62, which may be ofthe order of 0.1 ampere, is an additional safety feature of this invention. Such low-current transmission cannot produce a hazardous or dangerous condition for a bather. While low voltage and low current are salient features and their values have been specified for illustration, obviously these values of voltage and current are readily changeable as may be desired without sacrificing the feature of safety.

While this invention has been shown and described in certain particular arrangements merely for illustration and explanation, it will be clearly understood that this invention is capable of rearrangement in many and different forms and embodiments, all within the spirit and scope of this invention.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub without modifying its drain opening or any of the other internal structure of the bathtub, comprising a pump having an inlet fluidically coupled directly to the drain opening of the bathtub for receiving water from the bathtub through the drain opening and having an outlet for returning the water under pressure to the bathtub through the drain opening, and a nozzle structure having a pipe slidably insertable into and coupled to the drain opening for feeding pressurized water received from the pump outlet through the drain opening and into the bathtub, said nozzle structure including means for simultaneously mixing air with the received water as it is fed through the nozzle structure to the bathtub, the bathtub being returned to its conventional unmodified shape, without any physical impediments at the drain opening or at any other internal parts of the bathtub, upon the uncoupling and slidable removal of the nozzle structure from the drain opening of the bathtub. v

2. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 1, including means responsive to the removal of the nozzle structure from the drain opening for preventing water delivered by the pump from being forcibly fed back into the bathtub through the drain opening to create a spray or trajectory stream therethrough.

3. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 1, including an ell connector system mounted below the drain opening of the bathtub and coupled to the pump by two unidirectional conduits one for feeding water to the pump and the other for returning pressurized water from the pump to the drain opening, the ell connector system being so shaped as to apply suction to the water delivered by the pump to prevent the water from being forcibly fed to the bathtub through the drain opening to produce a trajectory stream when the nozzle structure is removed from the drain opening.

4. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 1, in which the nozzle structure includes a nozzle to which water is fed from the drain opening of the bathtub and to which air is separately fed to be mixed with the water by venturi action.

5. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 4, including an electrical power supply system for operating the pump and an electrical timing mechanism for controlling the interval during which the whirlpool action is performed, the voltage to which the user is exposed not exceeding 24 volts and the current not exceeding one-half ampere.

6. A unitary nozzle structure for providing whirlpool action to a conventional bathtub without modifying its drain opening or any of the other internal structure of the bathtub, comprising a nozzle, a first pipe which is connected to the nozzle and the other end of which is slidably insertable into and coupled to the drain opening at the bottom of the bathtub for receiving pressurized water transmitted through the drain opening and supplying the received water to the nozzle and into the bathtub, a second pipe connected to the nozzle for feeding air to the nozzle, and means for simultaneously mixing, by venturi action, the air and the water supplied to the nozzle, the first pipe being slidably inserted into and coupled to the drain opening only when whirlpool action is desired and being removed therefrom when whirlpool is no longer desired, a second pipe located outside the bathtub and fluidically coupled to the drain opening to discharge water from the bathtub via the drain opening, the slidable removal and uncoupling of the first pipe returning the bathtub to its conventional configuration without any physical barrier or obstruction in or at the drain opening or at any other point within the bathtub.

7. A unitary nozzle structure according to claim 6 including means coupled to the second pipe to control the amount of air fed through the nozzle.

8. A unitary structure according to claim 7 including means built into the nozzle and coupled to the first pipe for simultaneously controlling the amount of water as well as the amount of air mixed with each other and transmitted through the nozzle.

9. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub without modifying its drain opening or any of the other internal structure of the bathtub, comprising a pump located outside the bathtub and fluidically coupled to the drain opening in the base of the bathtub for receiving water from the bathtub through the drain opening and returning the water under pressure through the drain opening, an ell connector structure positioned underneath the base of the bathtub and coupled between the drain opening and the pump by two unidirectional conduits one of which includes a fluidic coupling to the drain opening and feeds water from the bathtub to the pump through the drain opening and the other includes a conduit and returns pressurized water from the pump to the bathtub through the drain opening, a removable nozzle structure having a pipe which is insertable into and coupled to the drain opening within the bathtub whenever whirlpool action is desired and is removable and uncoupled from the drain opening when whirlpool action is not desired, the ell connector device being so shaped that, when the nozzle structure is removed from the drain opening, the pressurized water returned by the pump to the drain opening cannot forcibly enter the bathtub to generate a trajectory stream.

10. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 9, including mechanism coupled to the nozzle structure for limiting the time interval during which whirlpool action is supplied.

11. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 10, including means in the nozzle structure for mixing air with the water supplied to the nozzle structure through the drain opening.

12. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 9, in which the nozzle structure includes means for receiving water supplied to the drain opening and air to be mixed with the received water and combining the air and water by venturi action.

13. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 12, including means for regulating the amounts of air and water supplied through the nozzle structure.

14. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub according to claim 13, including means to limit the time during which whirlpool action is produced.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing whirlpool action in a conventional bathtub without modifying its drain opening or any of the other internal structure of the bathtub, comprising a pump having an inlet fluidically coupled directly to the drain opening of the bathtub for receiving water from the bathtub through the drain opening and having an outlet for returning the water under pressure to the bathtub through the drain opening, and a nozzle structure having a pipe slidably insertable into and coupled to the drain opening for feeding pressurized water received from the pump outlet through the drain opening and into the bathtub, said nozzle structure including means for simultaneously mixing air with the received water as it is fed through the nozzle structure to the bathtub, the bathtub being returned to its conventional unmodified shape, without any physical impediments at the drain opening or at any other internal parts of the bathtub, upon the uncoupling and slidable removal of the nozzle structure from the drain opening of the bathtub.