The present disclosure relates generally to a device for aiding in navigation through water. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to flipper devices having a boot and a fin and that are convenient and easy to use both in and out of the water. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to methods of using such flipper devices.
Swimming flippers are known devices that have long been used to aid a swimmer in moving more efficiently through the water. Such assistance may be necessary because human feet provide relatively poor thrust when swimming in water. Movement may further be hindered if the swimmer is, for example, a scuba diver or snorkeler who is carrying equipment that increases hydrodynamic drag. Alternatively, such assistance may also be necessary when the swimmer is, for example, a freediver who requires assistance in underwater propulsion that does not require high frequency leg movement, and that helps to minimize oxygen consumption. Additionally, swimming flippers may also be used by individuals who partake in various water activities including, for example, kneeboarding, water rugby, bodyboarding, etc.
Swimming flippers are worn on the foot or leg of the swimmer and simple constructions are generally made from a rubber or plastic material. More advanced constructions, however, typically comprise both a boot that is worn like a shoe by the swimmer, and a fin that has a blade or web construction. The fin may be either permanently or removably fixed to the boot. The fin of the flipper increases the amount of water displaced during kicking, thereby increasing the propulsion of the swimmer in the water.
Due to the functional requirements of the flipper, it must be of sturdy construction to withstand the large amounts of force that a top side of the flipper will encounter during a downward stroke of the flipper during a kicking movement. Such a sturdy and rigid construction, however, can make it difficult and extremely cumbersome to manipulate the flipper when the swimmer desires to walk on land. In this situation, the swimmer would be required to either walk awkwardly in the flipper, or to remove the flipper entirely, which includes removing the boot of the flipper as well as the fin. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for a swimmer to have a flipper that not only provides for adequate propulsion during use, but that is also convenient and easy to walk in when the swimmer is out of the water.
The present disclosure is directed to a flipper having a boot to which a removable fin portion is attached. The fin may be either fully removable, or may have a portion that is removable, from the boot. For example, the fin may be fully removed from a toe portion of the boot and stored on a portion of the boot. Alternatively, a portion of the fin may be removed from the boot while a portion of the fin may remain connected to the boot for easy storage of the fin portion on the boot. Such configuration will provide a swimmer with functional use of the flipper when fully assembled, but will also provide the swimmer with easy, convenient use of same when the swimmer desires to walk on a solid surface.
Accordingly, in a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a flipper having a removable fin. The flipper device includes a boot having a first portion of a fastener and a securing component; and a fin that includes a second portion of the fastener, which is capable of engaging the first portion of the fastener to removably attach the fin to the boot. The fin is so constructed and arranged to be at least partially collapsible, removable from the boot, stored in a substantially vertical orientation on the boot, and secured in its substantially vertical orientation by the securing component.
In an embodiment, the fastener is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, buttons, snaps, magnets, straps, velcro, a ratchet device, or combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the securing component is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a magnet, straps, a u-shaped component, velcro, a snap-fit component, a hook, a buckle, or combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the flipper device further includes a tether that is removably attached to one of a top of the boot and a top of the fin.
In an embodiment, the flipper device further includes a tether that is permanently attached to one of the top of the boot and the top of the fin.
In an embodiment, the boot further includes a sole on a bottom of the boot and the second portion of the fastener comprising a channel formed in the sole such that the sole of the boot is substantially flat.
In an embodiment, the first portion of the fastener includes a channel and the second portion of the fastener comprises a bar component that slideably engages the channel.
In an embodiment, the fastener includes a gripping element that is selected from the group consisting of a tether, a string, a ribbon, a loop of material, or combinations thereof.
In yet another embodiment, a flipper device includes a boot having a leg portion, a toe portion, a hinge mechanism, and a securing component. The flipper device further includes a fin that is removably attachable to the toe portion and includes a connector for connecting to the hinge mechanism. The fin is so constructed and arranged to be at least partially collapsible, pivotable by the hinge mechanism, stored in a substantially vertical orientation along the leg portion, and secured in its vertical orientation by the securing component.
In an embodiment, the hinge mechanism includes a rod that is connected to the fin on a first end of the rod.
In an embodiment, the hinge mechanism is so constructed and arranged to pivot the fin from a substantially horizontal orientation to the substantially vertical orientation.
In an embodiment, the connector is selected from the group consisting of a hollow opening in a rigid portion of the fin, an adhesive, a strap, or combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the securing component is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a magnet, straps, a u-shaped component, velcro, a snap-fit component, a hook, a buckle, or combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the flipper device further includes a tether that is removably attached to one of a top of the boot and a top of the fin.
In an embodiment, the flipper device further includes a tether that is permanently attached to one of the top of the boot and the top of the fin.
In still yet another embodiment, a method for using a flipper device is provided. The method includes providing a flipper device having a fin fastened to a boot having a toe portion and a leg portion; unfastening the fin from the toe portion of the boot; at least partially collapsing the fin; and storing the fin in a substantially vertical orientation along the leg portion of the boot.
In an embodiment, the method further includes re-fastening the fin to the toe portion of the boot when a user desires to use the flipper device in water.
In an embodiment, the at least partially collapsing is achieved by an action selected from the group consisting of folding, rolling, gathering, and combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the method further includes securing the fin in its substantially vertical orientation using a securing component.
In an embodiment, the securing component is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a magnet, straps, a u-shaped component, velcro, a snap-fit component, a hook, a buckle, or combinations thereof.
An advantage of the present disclosure is to provide an improved flipper device.
Another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a flipper device having a fin that is removable from, and stored on, a boot.
Still another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a flipper device that provides easy, convenient transitioning of a swimmer from water to land and vice versa.
An additional advantage of the present disclosure is to provide methods for using a flipper device having a fin that is at least partially removable from a boot.
Yet another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide methods for storing a fin of a flipper on a boot of the flipper for the convenience and comfort of a swimmer when walking on a solid surface.
Additional features and advantages are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the Figures.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular form of a word includes the plural, and vice versa, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, the references “a,” “an” and “the” are generally inclusive of the plurals of the respective terms. For example, reference to “a hinge” or “a method” includes a plurality of such “hinges” or “methods.” The term “and/or” used in the context of “X and/or Y” should be interpreted as “X,” or “Y,” or “X and Y.”
As used herein, “about” is understood to refer to numbers in a range of numerals, for example the range of −10% to +10% of the referenced number, preferably −5% to +5% of the referenced number, more preferably −1% to +1% of the referenced number, most preferably −0.1% to +0.1% of the referenced number.
Similarly, the words “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” are to be interpreted inclusively rather than exclusively. Likewise, the terms “include,” “including” and “or” should all be construed to be inclusive, unless such a construction is clearly prohibited from the context. However, the embodiments provided by the present disclosure may lack any element that is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, a disclosure of an embodiment defined using the term “comprising” is also a disclosure of embodiments “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” the disclosed components. Where used herein, the term “example,” particularly when followed by a listing of terms, is merely exemplary and illustrative, and should not be deemed to be exclusive or comprehensive. Any embodiment disclosed herein can be combined with any other embodiment disclosed herein unless explicitly indicated otherwise.
As discussed above, swimming flippers are known devices that have long been used to aid a swimmer in moving more efficiently through the water. Such assistance may be necessary because human feet provide relatively poor thrust when swimming in water. Movement may further be hindered if the swimmer is, for example, a scuba diver or snorkeler who is carrying equipment that increases hydrodynamic drag. Alternatively, such assistance may also be necessary when the swimmer is, for example, a freediver who requires assistance in underwater propulsion that does not require high frequency leg movement, and that helps to minimize oxygen consumption. Additionally, swimming flippers may also be used by individuals who partake in various water activities including, for example, kneeboarding, water rugby, bodyboarding, etc.
Swimming flippers are worn on the foot or leg of the swimmer and simple constructions are generally made from a rubber or plastic material. More advanced constructions, however, typically comprise both a boot that is worn like a shoe by the swimmer, and a fin that has a blade or web construction. The boot of a flipper is typically constructed of an elastic neoprene or a thermoplastic rubber. The fin is typically constructed of, for example, a thermoplastic material such as a thermoplastic rubber, a natural rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc., and may be either permanently or removably fixed to the boot. The fin of the flipper increases the amount of water displaced during kicking, thereby increasing the propulsion of the swimmer in the water.
Due to the functional requirements of the flipper, it must be of sturdy construction to withstand the large amounts of force that a top side of the flipper with encounter during a downward stroke of the flipper during a kicking movement. Such a sturdy and rigid construction, however, can make it difficult and extremely cumbersome to manipulate when the swimmer desires to walk on a solid surface (e.g., land). In this situation, the swimmer would be required to either walk awkwardly in the flipper, or to remove the flipper entirely, which includes removing the boot of the flipper as well as the fin.
Applicant has developed a swimmer to have a flipper that not only provides for adequate propulsion during use, but that is also convenient and easy to walk in when the swimmer is out of the water. In this regard, the flipper includes both a boot portion and a fin portion. The fin may be either fully removable, or may have a portion that is removable, from the boot. For example, the fin may be fully removed from a toe portion of the boot and stored on a portion of the boot. Alternatively, a portion of the fin may be removed from the boot while a portion of the fin may remain connected to the boot for easy storage of the fin portion on the boot. Such configuration will provide a swimmer with functional use of the flipper when fully assembled, but will also provide the swimmer with easy, convenient use of same when the swimmer desires to walk on a solid surface (e.g., land).
As shown in
Fin 14 may be manufactured from any known material that is capable of functioning as a working flipper and being reduced in size for storage when not being used in the water. Fin 14 may be manufacture from, for example, deformable plastic materials. In an embodiment, fin 14 may include at least one rigid portion 14a and a webbing portion 14b connected to rigid portion 14a. In this construction, rigid portion 14a provides structure and rigidity to fin portion 14, while webbing portion 14b provides increased surface area to aid in propulsion of the swimmer. Although depicted in
Fin 14 may be removably attached to boot 12 by any fastener 20 capable of withstanding propulsion forces encountered during a kicking movement by a swimmer in water. As shown in
In an embodiment, fastener 20 may also include a gripping element 20a to allow the user to quickly and easily grasp fastener 20 to connect fin 14 to boot 12 via fastener 20. Gripping element 20a may be, for example, a tether, string, ribbon, loop of material, etc., and may be from about 2 inches to about 6 inches in length, or from about 3 inches to about 5 inches in length or about 4 inches in length. The skilled artisan would immediately appreciate that gripping element 20a should be of sufficient length that grasping it to dis/connect fin 14 from/to boot 12 would be convenient for the user. For example, if the user is a swimmer who is swimming in a large body of water (e.g., pool, lake, ocean, etc.) and desires to disconnect fin 14 from boot 12 while in the water, the user may reach down and grasp gripping element 20a instead of, for example, the slider of a zipper. Accordingly, it will be much easier for the user to grasp and pull gripping element 20a for a quick and easy disconnection.
As mentioned previously, fin 14 may be fully removed from boot 12, or partially removed from boot 12, and then stored at some location on boot 12. As shown in
When collapsed and pivoted upward, fin 14 may be stored in a substantially vertical position along the leg of a user, as shown in
When reference is made to fin 14 being “collapsed,” it is meant that fin 14 may be reduced in size compared to its fully expanded configuration wherein fin 14 is ready for use. For example,
In an alternative embodiment, fin 14 may be reduced in size by a collapsing mechanism 30 that includes an activation element 32, the mechanism located at a side of fin 14 that is connected to boot 12 when flipper 10 is configured for use. In this regard, collapsing mechanism 30 may be used to expand fin 14 by, for example, pressing a button 32, which releases a rider that moves away from collapsing mechanism 30 toward fin 14, thereby expanding, in a longitudinal direction, several series of rigid rods that are hingedly connected to each other. The series of rigid rods may be located in rigid portions 14a of fin 14, which are hollow in this embodiment. For example, if fin 14 includes three rigid portions 14a, such as is illustrated in
In additional embodiments, and as mentioned above, boot 12 may include alternative elements for storing fin 14 thereon. For example, boot 12 in
Alternatively, and as shown in
In still yet another embodiment, boot 12 may include a snap-fit mechanism 42 for securing fin 14 to boot 12. For example, snap-fit 42 mechanism 42 may include two components each having a tab portion 44 that is designed to snap-fit with a corresponding tab portion (not shown) located on collapsed fin 14. Providing various methods of storing fin 14 on boot 12 offers easy, convenient ways to carry fin 14 with the user when the user is no longer in need of the fully assembled flipper 10 (i.e., when the user is out of the water and desires to walk in boot 12). In this manner, fin 14 remains with the user, but the user is not required to carry fin 14 with his or her hands.
As shown in
In another embodiment,
In a variation of the embodiment disclosed in
As shown in
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.