These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
The aquatic gear described in the following exemplary embodiment may be used for recreational swimming and/or physical therapy purposes. The aquatic gear is worn on the feet of the user and allows the user to maneuver through the water using a paddling motion of the user's legs. The aquatic gear, as will be sold under the trademark Profin, may be used while the swimmer remains in a relaxing, reclined seated position within the water. The aquatic gear also provides lateral stability as the user paddles. Additional fins may be added to the aquatic gear to increase the intensity and/or provided greater and/or different motion.
Referring to
The foot portion 102 is not limited to prior heel/shin and ankle configuration. The foot portion 102 may be designed to house the entire foot of the user. In another example the foot portion 102 maybe designed simply to wrap around the ankle/shin of the user. The foot portion 102 may also incorporate other features, for example, the heel surface may incorporate treading to provide additional traction in and out of the water. In another example, the foot portion 102 may include handles (not shown in the figures) to aid in the user with inserting or removing the foot.
A lateral fin 104 extends from about the bottom of the foot portion 102 in a direction away from a heel region of the foot portion. The lateral fin 104 may be at a slightly upward angle from the plane of the bottom surface of the user's foot. The lateral fin 104 maybe made of a semi-rigid rubber/plastic material. The lateral fin 104 may have apertures and other vents 110 that allow water to flow through during paddling. The size of the apertures/vents 110 may be designed based on the desired force applied by the user to the water. For example, increasing the amount and size of vents would decrease the strength required to move the fin through the water but also decrease the amount of water displaced and therefore the force that propels the user.
Rear side fins 106 couple the outer edges of the lateral fin 104 to the foot portion 102. The rear side fins 106 form triangular shaped walls that support the lateral fin 104. The force as the lateral fin 104 is pushed/pulled through water is transferred from the lateral fin 104 to the foot portion 102 and the leg/foot of the user. The rear side fins 106 may be used to provide additional structural support as the user pushes/pulls the lateral fin 104 through the water. In addition to providing structure to the lateral fin 104, the rear side fins 106 provide a horizontal fin that increases the stability of the user as the user paddles. The increase stability allows the user to remain in a relaxed seated position. The rear side fins 106 may be made of a semi-rigid or flexible material.
The rear side fins 106 may be designed to bow when force is applied to the bottom of the lateral fin 104. Thereby increase the angle of the lateral fin 104 from the plane of the bottom surface of the user's foot. The increase angle allows the lateral fin 104 to push less water and reduce the strength necessary to push the foot forward through the water when the user is paddling their feet. As the user moves their foot on the return stroke the water pushes on a top surface of the lateral fin 104 and straightens the rear side fins 106, decrease the angle of the lateral fin relative to the bottom surface of the foot. The rear side fins 106, lateral fin 104, and foot portion 102 may produce a pocket that scopes the water on the return stoke. The rear side fins 106 are not limited to bowing. The rear side fins 106 may be designed with flex points or other hinges points that allow for the movement of the lateral fin 104.
Referring to
Clips 314 may be provided to allow the extension rear fin to be removably coupled to the lateral fin 304. The clip 314 may have a front grove that slide into slots on the lateral fin 304. A back lip portion may then provide a frictional fit with another slot on the lateral fin 304. The flexible material of the extension rear fins may allow the clips to snap together during installation of the extension rear fin 312. The extension rear fin 312 is not limited to the previously described clip system. The extension rear fin 312 may be, for example permanently coupled by adhesives, welds or other coupling methods. The extension rear fin 312 may also be removably coupled by, for example, clips, snaps, straps, or other temporary coupling methods.
Referring to
The side fin 516 may be made of a semi-rigid rubber/plastic material. In one example, the side fins 516 may be designed to specifically flex in direction to the rear of the foot. As the user paddles the foot in a forward direction, water may push against the front surface of the side fin 516 allowing the side fin 516 to flex backwards and flatten. As the user moves their foot on the return stroke the water pushes on a back surface of the side fin 516. The side fins 516 straighten and apply surface area for the user leg to push water. The side fins 516 do not have to flex in a specific direction. The side fins 516 may be designed to be perpendicular and provide surface area against the water in both a forward and return stroke.
The side fins 516 may have a tong that allows the user to slide the tong into a slot on the side of the foot portion 502. This coupling allows the side fins to be removable. The user may remove the side fin 516 by moving the side fin 516 in an upward direction. The side fin 516 may be permanently coupled by, for example, adhesives, welds or other coupling methods. The side fins 516 may also be, for example removably coupled by clips, snaps, straps, or other temporary coupling methods. The side fins 516 are not limited to being on both sides of the foot portion. The user may use only one side fin to provide different motion and exercises.
The side fins 516 may have apertures and other vents 510 that allow water to flow through during paddling. The size of the apertures/vents 510 may be designed based on the desired force applied by the user to the water. For example, increasing the amount and size of vents 510 would decrease the strength to move the fin through the water but also decrease the amount of water displaced and therefore the force that propels the user. A range of side fins 516 may be supplied to the user to allow the user to modify the workout and performance of the aquatic gear. For example, a first set of side fins may not include the apertures/vents and/or a greater surface area while a second set of side fins may have several apertures/vents and/or a smaller surface area.
A method of using aquatic gear for a user's feet may involve the user coupling a foot portion for each flipper to a foot of a user. The user positions themselves into a reclined seated position in water. The user moves their feet in a paddling motion to propel the user in the direction of their feet. As user paddles, a lateral fin extended from the foot portion in driven forward during an extension period of the paddling motion and one or more rear side fins extending from a side edge of the lateral fin to the foot portion in a plane that intersects the lateral fin. The foot portion scoops the water during a return period of the paddling motion.
Referring to
Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described previously described exemplary method, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation and that the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
It will be understood that the foregoing is only illustrative of the principles of the invention and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, such embodiments will be recognized as within the scope of the present invention. Various aspects disclosed in the exemplary embodiments may be incorporated with aspects disclosed in other exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60791367 | Apr 2006 | US |