ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 31 -- United States Patent no. 12,509,896, issued on Dec. 30, was assigned to STRONG INDUSTRIES INC. (Northumberland, Pa.).

"Spa having drain system for improved water circulation" was invented by Wade Spicer (Northumberland, Pa.) and Charles Woods (West Manchester, Ohio).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A spa includes a shell having at least one cavity, the spa shell being configured to hold a volume of water, at seat insert having a plurality of hydrotherapy jets, the seat insert being received in the at least one cavity and defining a space between the seat insert and the shell, and a drain associated with the at least one cavity for removing water from the space between...