The invention is related to a floatable breathing device, and more particularly a floating breathing device having a floating ornamental head unit.
People commonly use snorkels to dive and view under water scenery. An inherent problem with the common snorkel is that for younger users they are likely to swallow water or to drop their snorkel tube below the water line thereby causing difficulty in breathing. In the current field of the invention, the user is left with the choice of only using a diving mask or goggles and surface swimming and not experiencing the under surface environment or waiting until younger divers are older more experienced and stronger swimmers who are better able to keep their tubes vertical and devoid of water. The state of the art needs a solution that permits younger divers to enjoy the benefit of being able to snorkel with their older family members without the detrimental consequences of the current state of the art. The state of the art needs a floatable breathing device.
In light of the shortcoming above a floatable breathing device according to the invention is provided. The floatable breathing device provides includes a head unit, a snorkel, a plurality of receiving passageways, and an internal pathway. The head unit has buoyant properties and includes an ornamental shaped outer housing and an inner housing positioned within the outer housing, the inner housing forms a head receiving section, the head receiving section is provided between outer surfaces of the outer housing and is configured to be contoured to a human head. The snorkel connects to and extends from the head unit. The plurality of receiving passageways are disposed about the outer housing and receiving the snorkel, the snorkel extending through and exiting a portion of the head unit above a predetermined waterline extending along a periphery of a lower portion of the head unit thereof and identifies buoyancy of the head unit in water. The internal pathway positioned along a base of the outer housing and extending through a center section of the head receiving section of the head unit.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, of which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.
Now with reference to the figures a floatable breathing device 1 according to the invention will be described. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in
In
In the shown embodiment, the outer housing 101 is a rigid exterior shell that may be formed from one or more of a materials 139, including a foam, a polymer, a composite, a water resistant fabric, or an inflatable device. The outer housing 101 may be impact resistant and may be made of buoyant material and may be monolithically formed.
The outer housing 101 is shaped to have a front portion 104, a center portion 110, and a rear portion 116. The front portion 104 has a lower front portion 105, adjacent a base 102 of the outer housing 101 and an upper front portion 106 that extends up from the lower front portion 105 of the outer housing 101. The center portion 110 has a lower center portion 111 adjacent the base 102 and an upper center portion 112 positioned up away from the base 102. A waterline 103 is also provided and extends along a periphery of the lower portions 105, 111, and 117 above the base 102. The waterline 103 is dependent on the buoyancy of the head unit 100.
Further, a plurality of receiving passageways 128 may be formed along an exterior surface 131 of the outer housing 101 to receive portions of the snorkel 185, the mask 170, or an accessory, e.g., a light, a flag, a locator beacon or any other accessory known to one of ordinary skill in the art (not shown). The receiving passageways 128 are positioned along the outer housing 101 or along an upper rear portion 118 of the outer housing 101 for the attachment of accessories e.g., a light, a flag, a locator beacon or any other accessory known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Opposite the exterior surface 131 is an interior surface 124. The interior surface 124 encompasses the inside surface of the outer housing 101.
As shown, the head unit 100 has the upper front portion 106, extending away from the base 102 in a vertical direction 119 distancing the base 102 away from the upper front portion 106 a sufficient distance 122 from the base 102 of the outer housing 101 to ensure the upper front portion 106 is relatively free of water. Further, extending along a length of the base 102 is the waterline 103 indicating the level at which water should be when the outer housing 101 is located in a body of water. A lower rear portion 117 is positioned along the base 102 and proximate to the waterline 103. Positioned on the rear portion 116 is the receiving passageway 128 adjacent to the upper rear portion 118.
In the shown embodiment, the outer housing 101 is shaped into the design of an animal, such as a bird, a fish, or a mammal. In particular,
As shown in
Generally, the insulated housing 165 has a rearmost insulated housing 166, a central insulated housing 167 and a front most insulated housing 168. The insulated housing 165 extends from the rearmost insulated housing 166, through the central insulated housing 167 and the front most insulated housing 168.
Formed within the insulated housing 165 is a passageway 169. The passageway 169 is formed along a portion of the central insulated housing 167 of the insulated housing 165 for receiving a strap 137. The passageway 169 extends through the side of the central insulated housing 167, up through a portion of the front most insulated housing 168 of the insulated housing 165, and a side of the center portion 110 of the outer housing 101.
A head receiving section 150 is positioned internal to the outer housing 101. More particularly, the head receiving section 150 is formed by the insulated housing 165 positioned in the outer housing 101.
As shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the head unit 100 further includes an internal pathway 135 formed in the center section 157 of the head receiving section 150 beginning along the base 102 of the outer housing 101 continuing through the head receiving section 150 extending up from the lower center section 158 away from the base 102 through the upper center section 159 and through the upper front section 156 of the head receiving section 150 and continuing through the exterior surface 131 of the housing in the upper front portion 106.
As shown in
As further shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment shown, the mask 170 is positioned beneath the head receiving section 150.
As shown in
Now with reference back to
The outer housing 101 is positioned over the insulated housing 165 forming the head receiving section 150. Along the exterior surface 131 are the plurality of receiving passageways 128. The mask 170 with the strap 137 is secured to the mask 170 by one of the strap buckles 178 on a lateral side 177 and positioned beneath the outer housing 101. The strap 137 extends up from the mask 170 and passes through one of the receiving passageway 128 and then into the side of the central insulated housing 167, up through a portion of the front most insulated housing 168 of the insulated housing 165, and a side of the center portion 110 of the outer housing 101. The strap 137 then exists the passageway 169 through the opposing receiving passageway 128 and is connected to the mask 170 on the opposite lateral side 177 by the opposing strap buckle 178. The passageway 169 extends through the side of the central insulated housing 167, up through a portion of the front most insulated housing 168 of the insulated housing 165, and a side of the center portion 110 of the outer housing 101.
The snorkel 185 is positioned beneath the mask 170 and located within the strap 137. The mouthpiece 190 is distal the end piece 186. The barrel section 187 enters the internal pathway 135 formed in the center section 157 of the head receiving section 150 beginning along the base 102 of the outer housing 101 continuing through the head receiving section 150 extending up from the lower center section 158 away from the base 102 through the upper center section 159 and through the upper front section 156 of the head receiving section 150 and continuing through the exterior surface 131 of the outer housing 101 in the upper front portion 106. The end piece 186 exits the outer housing 101 and can be positioned in different positions at the uppermost end 194 depending upon the embodiment.
Now with reference to
Here the snorkel 185 passes through the internal pathway 135 and exits the outer housing 101 along the end piece 186 at the uppermost end 194. The passageway 169 for the strap 137 is hidden and passes internal to the outer housing 101 without the aid of external openings on the surface of the outer housing 101.
As further shown
As shown in
Now with reference to
In some embodiments, the changeable insert peripheral 235 may aid in flotation by providing increased buoyancy. The integrated swim shirt assembly 200 may have properties such as UV protection and or provide a user protection from chaffing such as a rash guard. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the swim shirt 210 may have a variety of elements and be constructed of a plurality of materials, lengths of sleeves and sizes.
Now with
The mask 170 is positioned along the user and the pliable skirt 172 forms a seal 195 around the periphery 173 of the mask 170. The strap 137 is connected to the strap buckles 178 located along the lateral side 177 of the frame 171 and extends around the user and through the outer housing 101. Extending along the upper front portion 106 of the outer housing 101 is the receiving passageway 128 with the end piece 186 of the snorkel 185 extending there through so that the end piece 186 is above the waterline 103.
As shown in
The floatable breathing device 1 adds buoyancy to the user and permits the snorkel 185 from becoming immersed below the waterline 103. Further, seen is the integrated swim shirt assembly 200 without the changeable insert peripheral 235 and alternatively with the changeable insert peripheral 235 in the shape of a shark fin. In either case, with or without the changeable insert peripheral 235, the head unit 100 keeps the end piece 186 above the waterline 103.
One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the ornamental shape can be a variety of configurations and designs.
The foregoing illustrates some of the possibilities for practicing the invention. Many other embodiments and fields of use for the floatable breathing device 1 are possible and within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/160,251, filed on Oct. 15, 2018.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5697362 | Albrecht | Dec 1997 | A |
D751161 | Beach-Drummond | Mar 2016 | S |
20100229858 | Wheelwright | Sep 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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573287 | Nov 1923 | FR |
573287 | Jun 1924 | FR |
Entry |
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Translation of FR 573287, dated Jun. 20, 1924, 2 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210086034 A1 | Mar 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16160251 | Oct 2018 | US |
Child | 17115900 | US |