Swimming aid

Abstract

A swimming aid with a lower back float and an abdominal float, where the floats provide sufficient buoyancy to keep the user's head, neck and shoulders above water when the user is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position. The floats overlap axially so that the user is biased to a vertical position, but can easily rotate between a mostly horizontal position for learning how to swim, and a vertical position, with head, neck and shoulders above the water in both positions, for ease and comfort of breathing, without falling over backwards or sideways.

Claims

1. A swimming aid for supporting a user in water, comprising: a lower back float having a top edge, retainable around said user's lower back; a lower harness attached to said lower 14 back float, adaptable to retain said lower back float around said user's lower back; an abdominal float having a bottom edge retainable against said user's abdomen; an abdominal harness attached to said abdominal float, adaptable to retain said abdominal float against said user's abdomen; wherein said floats provide sufficient buoyancy to keep said user's head, neck and shoulders above said water when said user is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position; wherein said lower back float provides greater buoyancy than said abdominal float to bias said user against falling backwards or sideways; and wherein when said lower harness and said abdominal harness are worn by said user, said lower back float is retained around said user's lower back and said abdominal float is retained against said user's abdomen, and said bottom edge of said abdominal float is below said top edge of said lower back float when said user is in a vertical position in said water, whereby said floats overlap axially; whereby said abdominal float and said lower back float are axially close enough that said user is biased to a vertical position, but said user can easily rotate between a mostly horizontal position for learning how to swim, and a vertical position, with head, neck and shoulders above said water in both of said positions, for ease and comfort of breathing, without falling over backwards or sideways.

2. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said lower harness and said abdominal harness are integrally formed.

3. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said lower back float subtends an angle of between about 180 degrees and about 250 degrees around the back of the user.

4. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said lower back float subtends an angle of between about 190 degrees and about 240 degrees around the back of the user.

5. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said lower back float subtends an angle of between about 210 degrees to about 230 degrees around the back of the user.

6. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said abdominal float comprises two abdominal sub-floats.

7. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said abdominal float subtends an angle of between about 90 degrees and about 180 degrees around the abdomen of the user.

8. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said abdominal float subtends an angle of between about 45 degrees and about 90 degrees around the abdomen of the user.

9. A swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein said abdominal float subtends an angle of between about 140 degrees to about 160 degrees around the abdomen of the user.

10. A swimming aid for supporting a user in water, comprising: a lower back float covering said user's lower back; and an abdominal float covering said user's abdomen; wherein said lower back float provides greater buoyancy than said abdominal float; wherein said floats provide sufficient buoyancy to keep said user's head, neck and shoulders above said water when said user is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position; wherein said lower back float subtends an angle of between about 190 degrees and about 240 degrees around the back of the user; wherein said abdominal float subtends an angle of about 45 degrees around the abdomen of the user; and wherein said abdominal float and said lower back float overlap axially; whereby said floats provide a restoring force to bias said user to a substantially vertical position in said water and bias said user against falling backwards or sideways; and whereby said abdominal float and said lower back float are axially close enough that said user is biased to a vertical position, but said user can easily rotate between a mostly horizontal position for learning how to swim, and a vertical position, with head, neck and shoulders above said water in both of said positions, for ease and comfort of breathing, without falling over backwards or sideways.

11. A swimming aid for supporting a user in water, comprising: a lower back float covering a lower back portion of said user's torso and wrapping about around said user at said user's lower back; and an abdominal float covering a front abdominal portion of said user's torso and wrapping about around said user at said user's abdomen; wherein said floats provide sufficient buoyancy to keep said user's head, neck and shoulders above said water when said user is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position; wherein said lower back float provides greater buoyancy than said abdominal float; and wherein said abdominal float and said lower back float overlap axially; whereby said abdominal float and said lower back float are axially close enough that said user is biased to a vertical position, but said user can easily rotate between a mostly horizontal position for learning how to swim, and a vertical position, with head, neck and shoulders above said water in both of said positions, for ease and comfort of breathing, without falling over backwards or sideways.

12. A swimming aid for supporting a user in water, comprising: a float having a lower back portion having a top edge retainable against a user's lower back, and an abdominal portion having a bottom edge retainable against a user's abdomen; wherein said float provides sufficient buoyancy to keep said user's head, neck and shoulders above said water when said user is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position; wherein said portions overlap axially, whereby said bottom edge of said abdominal portion is below said top edge of said lower back portion when said user wears said float and is in a vertical position in said water; whereby said abdominal portion and said lower back portion are axially close enough that said user is biased to a vertical position, but said user can easily rotate between a mostly horizontal position for learning how to swim, and a vertical position, with head, neck and shoulders above said water in both of said positions, for ease and comfort of breathing, without falling over backwards or sideways.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

(3) FIG. 3 is an elevational view from the rear thereof.

(4) FIG. 4 is a top view thereof.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof, showing the orientation of the user when swimming in a mostly horizontal position.

(6) FIG. 6 is a side view thereof, showing the orientation of the user when floating in a vertical position.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(7) The presently preferred best mode for practicing the present invention is illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1 to 6.

(8) Referring to FIG. 1, shown is a perspective view of a user U wearing the device 10, which has a lower back float 30 retainable around the user's lower back, and an abdominal float 50, preferably comprising left subfloat 50a and right subfloat 50b, retainable against the user's abdomen. By abdomen is meant the front portion of the user's abdomen, between the pelvis and the rib cage.

(9) The lower back float 30 can be retained against the user's lower back by any suitable means. Shown is a lower harness LH having various straps that encircle the user at the lower back level and also extend underneath the crotch and down to the user's legs and include thigh straps TS, as in a rock climbing harness, but any other suitable means may be used instead. The lower harness LH preferably includes the thigh straps TS to help the lower harness LH prevent the lower back float 30 from riding up the user's body when floating.

(10) The abdominal float 50 can be retained against the user's abdomen by any suitable means. Shown is an abdominal harness AH having various straps that encircle the user at the abdominal level and that optionally attaches to the lower harness LH.

(11) The straps of the lower harness LH and abdominal harness AH can be attached and adjusted to each other and to the lower back float 30 and abdominal float 50, in any manner known in the art, including, without limitation, buckles and hook and loop fasteners (widely known under the trademark Velcro).

(12) The lower back float 30 provides greater buoyancy than the abdominal float 50, and the floats together provide sufficient buoyancy that the user U floats with his or her head, neck and shoulders above the water, when the user U is in a vertical position and in a mostly horizontal position. Preferably, the lower back float 30 and the abdominal float 50 provide sufficient buoyancy to allow the user to more easily keep his or her head, neck and shoulders above the water when swimming in a horizontal position, to provide security when the user must learn to breathe in a stroke being learned.

(13) The lower edge 52 of the abdominal float 50 is higher than the upper edge 32 of the lower back float 30, so that the floats overlap axially. Because the lower back float 30 and the abdominal float 50 overlap axially, there is a small moment arm (in other words, a small amount of leverage) between the floats, so that they do not create significant torque that must be overcome for the user to rotate from a vertical position to a mostly horizontal position, or to return to a vertical position from a mostly horizontal position. Yet, the abdominal float 50 provides assistance to the user to rotate from a horizontal position to a vertical position, so that the user does not need to exert effort against his or her full body weight, without assistance.

(14) Referring to FIG. 2, shown is a side elevational view of the device 10, with the user omitted for clarity, showing the lower back float 30 and right abdominal subfloat 50b, as well as the lower harness LH and abdominal harness AH.

(15) Referring to FIG. 3, shown is a rear elevational view of the device as worn by a user U, showing the lower back float 30 retained against the user's lower back by the lower harness LH, and the left abdominal subfloat 50a and right abdominal subfloat 50b retained against the user's abdomen by the abdominal harness AH.

(16) Referring to FIG. 4, shown is a top plan view of the device 10, showing the lower harness 30 going about around the user (subtending an angle around the user of about 270 degrees), and the abdominal float 50 (preferably comprising left abdominal subfloat 50a and right abdominal subfloat 50b) going about around the user (subtending an angle around the user of about 45 degrees). Because the lower back float 30 encircles most of the user, it biases the user against tipping backwards or sideways.

(17) Referring to FIG. 5, shown is the device 10 worn by a user U in a mostly horizontal position, for learning how to swim. As can be seen, because the abdominal float 50 provides less buoyancy than the lower back float 30, the user can easily rotate from a vertical position to a mostly horizontal position to learn how to swim, yet the abdominal float provides buoyancy to assist the user to rotate from the mostly horizontal position to a vertical position. The lower back float 30 and the abdominal float 50 provide sufficient buoyancy that the user's head, neck and shoulders can easily be kept above water when swimming. Because the lower back float 30 and the abdominal float 50 are retained only around the user's lower back and abdomen, the user's limbs and upper body are free to move to their full extend in any direction.

(18) Referring to FIG. 6, shown is a user U wearing the device 10 in a substantially vertical position, showing that the lower back float 30 and abdominal float 50 provide buoyancy sufficient to keep the user's head, neck and shoulders above the water. Also, the lower back float 30 biases the user against tipping over backwards or sideways. The abdominal float 50 is smaller than the lower back float 30, so that the user is slightly biases to tip forward, but the abdominal float 50 provides buoyancy to assist the user in rotating to a vertical position when desired.

(19) Optional features of the present invention could include the following: adjustable fasteners for proper fit; and pockets or channels for multiple buoyant pads to be added or removed for adjustment of desired buoyancy.

(20) As can be seen from the above, the invention provides a restoring force that biases the user to a vertical position, like an inflatable pop-up toy punching bag, but the restoring force is low enough that the user can easily rotate to a horizontal position, thus giving the user the confidence of knowing that, from a horizontal position to learn to swim, he or she can easily rotate back to a vertical position without any assistance, with head, neck and shoulders above the water. The invention also provides sufficient buoyancy that the user's head, neck and shoulders can be kept above water when the user is swimming in a horizontal position. Thus, the invention combines a vertical restoring force with sufficient flotation to keep the user's head, neck and shoulders above the water.

(21) Buoyancy of the floats can be provided in any manner, such as by making the floats from polyurethane, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, or other foam. The floats can also be inflatable pads, filled with specific gases for a desired level of buoyancy.

(22) While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the presently preferred embodiments described herein, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made in the preferred embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Also, there may be other embodiments which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the claims, including equivalents thereof. Accordingly, the invention shall not be limited by what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, and no limitations shall be implied or inferred in the scope of the invention, except as specifically and explicitly set forth in the claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(23) The present invention is applicable whenever it is desired to teach anyone how to swim, young or old, or whenever someone who knows how to swim, but is not able to (or does not desire to) expend the physical exertion necessary to swim and breathe, wishes to swim, such as the elderly or the injured.