BUOYANCY COMPENSATOR JACKET

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a buoyancy compensator jacket (BC jacket) having a buoyancy compensating function.

The buoyancy compensator jacket used for diving has been well-known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-211484 discloses a buoyancy compensating device capable of easily adjusting positions of waist belts in an up-down direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A buoyancy compensating device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-211484 includes a jacket, a harness attached on an inner face of a back of the jacket, length-adjustable shoulder belts extending downward from shoulders of the jacket, and length-adjustable waist belts extending in a waist direction of the jacket.

In such a buoyancy compensating device, end portions of the waist belts are attached to the harness through coupling plates, and positions of the waist belts in an up-down direction in the harness can be adjusted in two stages by selecting positions of fixing portions for fixing the coupling plates.

In order to fit a waist of the buoyancy compensating device to a body of a diver, the diver adjusts the lengths of the shoulder belts and also adjusts the positions of the waist belts in the up-down direction according to a size of the body of the diver in a wearing state. However, since a back length of the harness is constant for divers having height differences, it is impossible to realize an optimal fit according to the height differences.

In addition, if the harness has the back length that does not fit the size of the body, and the diver pulls up the shoulder belts to closely fit the harness to the body, the waist belts are also pulled upward, sometimes above an abdomen. Although the positions of the waist belts can be adjusted in two stages, it is impossible to control and dispose the waist belts at optimal positions in the up-down direction.

On the other hand, if the diver tries to arrange the waist belts around a waist of the diver to prioritize the fit around the waist, the shoulder belts cannot be pulled up and the harness may not closely fit the back of the diver. Especially when the harness has the back length that does not fit the size of the body, and the diver bends forward, the harness separates from shoulders of the diver to create a gap, which prevents the diver from obtaining a sufficient holding feeling.

An object of the present invention is to provide a buoyancy compensator jacket that can follow movements of the body of the diver and provide a stable holding feeling.

The present invention relates to a buoyancy compensator jacket having an up-down direction, a width direction, and a front-rear direction intersecting one another, and including a harness for fastening an air cylinder. In the buoyancy compensator jacket according to the present invention, the harness includes shoulder belts, a harness main body disposed to face a back side of the diver, and a size adjusting means that can change a back length of the harness main body in a plurality of stages.

The buoyancy compensator jacket according to the present invention includes following preferred aspects.

- (1) The buoyancy compensator jacket further includes a waist fastening means including waist belts and a lower-back pad;
- the waist fastening means and the harness main body are separate bodies; and
- the waist fastening means can move in the up-down direction by a sliding mechanism.
- (2) The harness main body includes a back plate and a center panel disposed on a front face side of the back plate, and the back plate and the center panel are releasably coupled.
- (3) Side panels that are coupled with the shoulder belts are attached on both sides of the harness main body so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction.
- (4) The side panels include weight means.

According to the buoyancy compensator jacket of the present invention, the size adjusting means is provided to change the back length of the harness main body in the plurality of stages. Thus, by adjusting the back length of the harness main body to be optimal for the height of the diver, the harness main body can closely fit the body of the diver during diving, which can provide a sufficient holding feeling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention including optional and preferred embodiments as well as essential features of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a buoyancy compensator jacket according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the buoyancy compensator jacket.

FIG. 3 is a developed front view of a harness.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the harness as seen from a front face side.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the harness as seen from a rear face side.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing coupling portions between a back plate and a center panel.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a lower-back pad as seen from a rear face side.

FIG. 9(a) is a diagram showing a diver standing straight.

FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing the diver bending forward.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a buoyancy compensator jacket in a worn state according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a separate state of a weight means and a side panel.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
First Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a buoyancy compensator jacket 1 according to the present invention has an up-down direction Y, a width direction X, and a front-rear direction Z intersecting one another, and a front face 1a and a rear face 1b, and includes a vest 3 that covers a back and an abdomen of a diver and is capable of providing air from an air cylinder 2, a cylinder harness (harness) 10 extending in the up-down direction Y and disposed on an inner face of the vest 3, a pair of shoulder belts 11 extending from a top end portion of the harness 10, and a pair of waist belts 12 extending in a waist direction of the diver on a bottom end portion side of the harness 10. The pair of shoulder belts 11 include shoulder pads 11a to be brought into contact with shoulders of the diver. In the buoyancy compensator jacket 1, the front face 1a is also referred to as front, and the rear face 1b as back.

The air cylinder 2 is disposed on an outer face side of a back of the vest 3, and fastened to the harness 10 by a cylinder band 14. A length of the cylinder band 14 can be adjusted by a buckle 13 according to a size of the air cylinder 2.

The harness 10 includes a harness main body 20 disposed on an inner face of the back of the vest 3, a pair of side panels 30 rotatably attached to the harness main body 20, and a waist fastening means 40 disposed in front of a lower portion of the harness main body 20.

The harness main body 20 includes a back plate 50 and a center panel 60 disposed in front of the back plate 50. The back plate 50 and the center panel 60 are releasably coupled via a coupling means such as coupling members 70.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the coupling members 70 are disposed outside a rear face of the vest 3 while coupling the back plate 50 and the center panel 60, and the cylinder band 14 is inserted through band insertion holes 71 of the coupling members 70. Each of the coupling members 70 includes an insertion hole 72 disposed upward and a locking claw 73 disposed on a front face, that is, a face facing the back plate 50, and having a distal end bent upward. The vest 3 includes openings in which bolts to be inserted through the insertion holes 72 of the coupling members 70 are pierced, and openings in which the locking claws 73 are pierced.

The back plate 50 includes a head section 51 and a support plate section 52 extending downward from the head section 51. The head section 51 includes insertion holes 51a in which the shoulder belts 11 are inserted and fastened. The support plate section 52 includes, on a front face side, side ribs 54 extending in the up-down direction Y on both side edge portions, a center protrusion 55 in a center in the width direction X, a pair of engaging grooves 57 extending in the up-down direction Y between the side ribs 54 on both sides and the center protrusion 55.

The support plate section 52 includes a plurality of center insertion holes 58 disposed at predetermined intervals in the up-down direction Y in the center protrusion 55, and a plurality of side insertion holes 59 disposed at predetermined intervals in the up-down direction Y in each of the pair of engaging grooves 57. Below the pluralities of side insertion holes 59 on both sides, rectangular first locking holes 75 are disposed.

As shown in FIG. 7, seven of the center insertion holes 58 are aligned from a top to a bottom and denoted by reference signs 58a to 58g. As for the side insertion holes 59 on both sides, the insertion holes 59 on an upper side are denoted by a reference sign 59a, and the insertion holes 59 on a lower side are denoted by a reference sign 59b. Referring to FIG. 5, the center panel 60 includes a pair of band insertion holes 61 in both side portions for inserting fixing bands 22, first coupling sections 62 in tubular shapes included in hinge mechanisms for rotatably coupling the side panels 30 on both side edge portions. In a center of the center panel 60 in the width direction X, center insertion holes 63a and 63b are disposed. In addition, on a rear face of the center panel 60, a pair of projections 68a and 68b aligned in the up-down direction Y are disposed between the center insertion holes 63a and 63b.

On the rear face of the center panel 60, a pair of engaging protrusions 64 extending in the up-down direction Y are also disposed. Each of the pair of engaging protrusions 64 includes a plurality of side insertion holes 65a and 65b disposed at a predetermined interval in the up-down direction Y and piercing the center panel 60, and rectangular second locking holes 76a and 76b. In the side insertion hole 65b on each side, a nut having a spiral groove for screwing a bolt therein is disposed.

The fixing bands 22 are made of fabric coated with urethane resin. Both end portions of each of the fixing bands 22 are inserted into the band insertion holes 61, and detachably attached to the center panel 60 via fastener means that pierce insertion holes disposed in both the end portions and openings disposed in the rear face of the center panel 60.

Each of the pair of side panels 30 includes a distal end portion 31, a base end portion 32 to be fixed to the center panel 60, a belt insertion hole 31a disposed in the distal end portion 31 for inserting a coupling belt 16, and a second coupling section 33 in a tubular shape on a base end 32 side. The center panel 60 and each of the side panels 30 are coupled with a coupling pin (pivot shaft) 18 that pierces the first coupling section 62 and the second coupling section 33 such that the first coupling section 62 and the second coupling section 33 are alternately combined in the up-down direction Y.

The pair of side panels 30 are attached to the center panel 60 by the hinge mechanisms with such a configuration so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction Z. The center panel 60 has a generally curved shape with both side portions extending toward a body of a wearer, and the hinge mechanisms of the side panels 30 located on both side portions of the center panel 60 tend to rotate inward, that is, toward the body of the diver. In addition, the buoyancy compensator jacket 1 can be stored or carried with the side panels 30 folded to make the jacket compact when not used.

On a distal end of the coupling belts 16, a male member of a buckle including a locking claw is disposed to be locked with a female member disposed on each of the shoulder belts 11 so as to couple the shoulder belt 11 with the side panel 30 via the coupling belt 16.

The waist fastening means 40 includes a lower-back pad 41 to be brought into contact with a waist of the diver, and a pair of waist belts 12 extending from both side edges of the lower-back pad 41.

The waist belts 12 are detachably coupled with each other by a coupling means 12a and 12b of a mechanical fastener disposed on distal ends of the waist belts 12. In addition, end portions of the waist belts 12 are folded back at wound portions in ring shapes at both side portions of the lower-back pad 41, and portions facing each other after being folded back are detachably coupled by mechanical fastener means so as to make lengths of the waist belts 12 adjustable.

The lower-back pad 41 includes a cushion member 42 formed by covering a resilient material such as urethane resin with mesh fabric, and a back plate section 43 in a thin plate shape attached to a rear face of the cushion member 42.

The back plate section 43 is made of not a material easily deformed like the cushion member, but acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, polypropylene resin, nylon resin, rigid synthetic rubber, or the like, for example, and has flexibility to an extent slightly deformable along the waist of the diver. On a rear face of the back plate section 43, sliders (insertion portions) 45 in loop shapes open in the up-down direction Y are disposed for inserting the fixing bands 22.

Referring to FIG. 6, the pair of engaging protrusions 64 of the center panel 60 are engaged with the pair of engaging grooves 57 in the back plate 50. The center insertion hole 58 in the support plate section 52 of the back plate 50 and the center insertion hole 63a in the center panel 60 communicate with each other in the front-rear direction Z and are fastened by a fastener fastening means piercing these center insertion holes. At this point, the fastener fastening means used for the fixing bands 22 and the harness main body 20 includes a grommet and a pin inserted into the grommet. When the pin is inserted into an insertion hole of the grommet, a leg portion of the grommet is elastically deformed and expanded so as to stably fasten overlapping members.

Furthermore, in a state where the vest 3 intervenes between the coupling members 70 and back plate 50, the side insertion holes 59a to 59c on both sides of the support plate section 52 and the side insertion holes 65a and 65b on both sides of the center panel 60 communicating with each other in the front-rear direction Z are fastened with the bolts inserted through the insertion holes 72 through the openings formed in the vest 3.

Furthermore, the locking claws 73 of the coupling members 70 are fitted into and locked in the first locking holes 75 in the back plate 50 and the second locking holes 76a and 76b in the center panel 60 communicating with each other in the front-rear direction Z. As a result, the back plate 50 and the center panel 60 are fastened to each other at the center portions in the width direction X and the side portions on both sides so as to be stably coupled.

Referring to FIG. 7, the position of the center panel 60 in the up-down direction Y with respect to the back plate 50 can be changed in a plurality of stages. In particular, in an example shown in the figure, the position can be changed in six stages, and thus a back length L1 (see FIG. 3) of the harness 10 can be freely changed according to the height of the diver.

A correlation between the center panel 60 and the back plate 50 in each of the stages is described here. Firstly, when the back plate 50 is located at the lowest position (FIG. 7[a]), the center insertion hole 58b and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59a on both sides and the side insertion holes 65b on both sides respectively overlap each other, and the projection 68a is inserted through the center insertion hole 58d. Next, when the back plate 50 is located upward (FIG. 7[b]), the center insertion hole 58c and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59b on both sides and the side insertion holes 65b on both sides respectively overlap each other, and the projection 68a is inserted through the center insertion hole 58e. When the back plate 50 is located further upward (FIG. 7[c]), the center insertion hole 58d and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59c on both sides and the side insertion holes 65b on both sides respectively overlap each other, and the projection 68a is inserted through the center insertion hole 58f.

When the back plate 50 is located further upward (FIG. 7[d]), the center insertion hole 58e and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59a on both sides and the side insertion holes 65a on both sides respectively overlap each other. When the back plate 50 is located further upward (FIG. 7[e]), the center insertion hole 58f and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59b on both sides and the side insertion holes 65a on both sides respectively overlap each other. When the back plate 50 is located at the highest position (FIG. 7[f]), the center insertion hole 58g and the center insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59c on both sides and the side insertion holes 65a on both sides respectively overlap each other.

As a result, since the back length L1 of the harness 10 (harness main body 20) can be freely changed in six stages according to the heights of the divers, the harness 10 can be widely used by the divers having relatively large height differences from the diver of about 150 centimeters tall to the diver of about 195 centimeters tall, for example. Accordingly, the same buoyancy compensator jacket 1 can be used by the divers in a wide range of ages regardless of gender. Thus, manufacturers do not need to produce products in different sizes, which is excellent in productivity. Furthermore, users do not need to prepare a plurality of products according to the heights of the divers, which can reduce economical burdens.

Although a size adjusting means for adjusting the back length L1 of the harness main body 20 can change the back length L1 in six stages in the present embodiment, the size adjusting means may change the back length L1 in six stages or less or more.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, the lower-back pad 41 of the waist fastening means 40 is attached to the harness main body 20 by slider mechanisms including the sliders 45 in the loop shapes and the fixing bands 22 fixed to the harness main body 20. The lower-back pad 41 can freely move in the up-down direction by sliding the sliders 45 on the fixing bands 22.

As shown in FIG. 8, the lower-back pad 41 can move upward and downward to follow the movements of the body of the wearer from a position indicated by thick virtual lines to positions indicated by two-dot chain virtual lines.

Conventionally, in the case of using the harness in the size that does not fit the height of the diver, a gap is generated between the shoulders of the diver and the harness when the wearer bends forward, even if the diver has tried to closely fit the harness to the body merely by adjusting the shoulder belts. As a result, the diver cannot obtain a sufficient holding feeling in a wearing state of the buoyancy compensator jacket.

According to a result of keen examination by an applicant, in order to obtain a firm holding feeling in the wearing state, it is essential that the shoulder belts 11 (shoulder pads 11a) never separate from the shoulders of the diver, and the harness 10 is in contact with vicinities of shoulder blades of the wearer. In order to obtain an even higher holding feeling, it is necessary that a portion in contact with the waist of the diver can move in the up-down direction Y to follow even a small movement of the waist.

Furthermore, in conventional buoyancy compensator jackets, the harness main body to which the shoulder belts are fixed is integrated with the lower-back pad. Thus, when the lengths of the shoulder belts are adjusted to closely fit the harness main body to the body of the diver, the harness main body is pulled upward and the lower-back pad is also pulled upward together. As a result, the lower-back pad is located above the waist of the diver, which may reduce the fit to the waist.

With the harness 10 according to the present invention, as have been described, since the back length L1 can be freely changed and set in the plurality of stages to make the back length optimal for the height of the diver, the harness 10 fits the body of the diver, which can provide a sufficient holding feeling. Furthermore, since the waist fastening means 40 including the lower-back pad 41 can move freely in the up-down direction to change the position by sliding the sliders 45 of the lower-back pad 41 on the fixing bands 22, the waist fastening means 40 can follow even a small movement of the waist of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 9(a), before wearing the buoyancy compensator jacket 1, the diver selects an optimal size for the height from the plurality of sizes of the back length L1 shown in FIG. 7 to couple the back plate 20 and the center panel 60, and dispose the waist fastening means 40 at an optimal position on the waist. Then, the diver stands up straight, and adjusts the lengths of the shoulder belts 11, which are slightly loosen to enable the diver to wear the jacket, by the buckles to tighten the shoulder belts 11 so as to fit the jacket to the body.

At this time, the harness main body 20 to which the shoulder belts 11 are attached is pulled upward due to the movements of the shoulder belts 11. However, since the waist fastening means 40 is a separate body from the harness main body 20, the waist fastening means 40 is not pulled upward with the harness main body 20, and can stay at the optimal position on the waist.

In particular, even when the harness main body 20 is pulled upward and the fixing bands 22 are moved upward, the harness main body 20 merely moves by sliding the sliders 45 of the lower-back pad 41, and thus the waist fastening means 40 including the lower-back pad 41 does not move upward.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 9(b), when the diver bends forward, the waist fastening means 40 slides downward according to the movement of the body, and thus the lower-back pad 41 can stay in touch with the waist at the optimal position. Furthermore, since the waist belts 12 are coupled to the lower-back pad 41, the waist belts 12 move in the up-down direction when the lower-back pad 41 moves in the up-down direction. Thus, the lower-back pad 41 and the waist belts 12 move in the up-down direction to follow the movements of the body of the diver so as to maintain a fit state of the lower-back pad 41 and the waist belts 12 to the lower-back and the abdomen, respectively. In the BC jacket according to the present invention, since the back length L1 of the harness main body 20 does not need adjustment after the jacket is worn, coupling between the back plate 50 and the center panel 60 is performed by mechanical means using the bolts, the coupling members 70, or the like. On the other hand, as to coupling of the waist fastening means 40, since the waist fastening means 40 needs to move to follow the movements of the diver wearing the jacket in various degrees, simple sliding mechanisms including the sliders 45 in the loop shapes and the fixing bands (rails) 22 are employed. As a result of selecting optimal coupling means according to usage and functions, different coupling means are employed.

Referring back to FIG. 6, an opening width of each of the sliders 45 and a width dimension of each of the fixing bands 22 are almost the same, and thus the sliders 45 do not easily move downward by the weight of the slider itself. The fixing bands 22 can be made of well-known materials such as metal, rubber, glass, or chemical fiber instead of the fabric and the synthetic resin as long as required frictional resistance is exerted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the sliders 45 are preferably disposed above a center portion of a dimension of the lower-back pad 41 in the up-down direction Y. In such a case, compared with a case where the sliders 45 are disposed at the center portion, areas extending downward from the sliders 45 in the lower-back pad 41 are increased. Thus, even when the sliders 45 are located at the lowest positions, the lower-back pad 41 can widely cover the waist of the diver. Furthermore, the sliding mechanisms including the fixing bands 22 and the sliders 45 do not have to be disposed in pairs to face each other with an interval in the width direction X as shown, but two or more of the sliding mechanisms or only one sliding mechanism may be disposed.

(Other Modes)

As another mode, for example, the harness main body 20 and the waist belts 12 may be formed integrally, and the shoulder belts 11 may be provided separately. Furthermore, in the buoyancy compensator jacket 1, the harness 10, the vest 3, and the waist belts 12 may be formed integrally, and the waist fastening means 40 may be formed separately, as long as technical effects according to the present invention are exerted.

Furthermore, in the example shown in the figures, the harness main body 20 has a separate structure including the harness main body 20 and the center panel 60 as the separate bodies. However, the harness main body 20, the back length L1 of which is adjustable in the plurality of sizes, and the center panel 60 may be formed integrally.

Second Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, in the buoyancy compensator jacket 1 according to the present embodiment, a weight means 80 is disposed on each of the side panels 30. The weight means 80 includes a weight 81, and a weight bag 83 having a pocket 82 that the weight 81 can be inserted into or extracted from. The weight 81 includes a handle section 81a, so that the diver can easily insert the weight 81 into the pocket 82 or extract the weight 81 from the pocket 82 by holding the handle section 81a.

Furthermore, the weight bag 83 includes a bag body 84 and a flap 85, part of which is fixed to the bag body 84. The flap 85 includes a fixed end portion 85a fixed to the bag body 84, and a free portion 85b not fixed to the bag body 84. On an inner face of a peripheral edge portion of the free portion 85b, a locking portion including a plurality of hook elements is disposed. A portion-to-be-locked including a plurality of loop elements is disposed at a peripheral edge portion of the bag body 84 on a face facing the flap 85. The weight 81 is stored in the pocket 82 from an opening 82a of the weight bag 83, and the locking portion on the free portion 85b of the flap 85 and a portion-to-be-locked of the bag body 84 are coupled with the distal end portion 31 of the side panel 30 intervening between the free portion 85b of the flap 85 and the bag body 84, thereby detachably attaching the wight bag 83 to the side panel.

The diver controls the buoyancy by breathing control (trimming) with lungs in the water. In the conventional buoyancy compensator jackets, the weight means is stored in a pocket or the like near the waist of the vest. Thus, when a relatively tall diver wears the jacket, the weight means and the lungs are located at separate positions, which makes the breathing control with the lungs difficult.

In the buoyancy compensator jacket 1 according to the present invention, the harness includes the size adjusting means for the back length L1 to change the back length L1 according to the height of the diver. Thus, even when the relatively tall diver wears the jacket, for example, the weight means 80 attached to the side panels 30 move upward according to the height of the diver.

As a result, the weight means 80 can be always disposed near the lungs of the diver, and the buoyancy control with the lungs can be performed easily. Furthermore, when the diver wears the jacket, the side panels 30 are rotated toward the body of the diver by the hinge mechanisms. Thus, the weight means are disposed closer to the lungs compared with the case where the weight means is disposed in the pocket of the vest 3.

A configuration of the weight means 80 is not limited to the example shown in the figures, and the weight means 80 may be integrally configured with the side panels 30.

Various known materials generally used in this kind of field can be used without limitation for constituent materials included in the buoyancy compensator jacket 1, unless otherwise described in this specification. Terms such as “first” or “second” used in this specification are used simply to distinguish similar elements, positions, or the like.

BUOYANCY COMPENSATOR JACKET

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Priority Claims (1)