BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
1. Field of the Invention
At least one example in accordance with the present invention relates generally to swimming aids for young children, and particularly swimming aids in the form of an inflatable vest.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Inflatable vests are popular aids used in familiarizing children with water and helping them learn to swim. The vests often include back and front portions that wrap around the upper torso of the child, the front portion being fastenable together to fit the vest to the child. An inflatable collar portion may be attached at the upper part of the vest body, or may be formed as an integral part of the vest, and may curve around the back of the neck of the child to provide cushioning for the neck and additional buoyancy. A second inflatable collar portion may be affixed at the top of the vest and may, together with the first collar portion, encircle the neck of the child.
SUMMARY
Aspects in accord with the present invention are directed to an inflatable vest comprising an inflatable body member having an upper edge area to be located near the neck of the wearer of the vest, a collar member removably attachable to the vest at the upper edge area of the inflatable body member by means of a first attachment means, and a second attachment means located at a portion of the body member other than the upper edge area for secure re-location of said removable collar member.
According to one embodiment, the second attachment means is located at a back, lower portion of the body member.
According to another embodiment, the first attachment means comprises a male mating member and a corresponding female mating member. In one embodiment, the male mating member is located on the collar member, and the corresponding female mating member is located at the upper edge area of the body member or vice versa.
According to another embodiment, the second attachment means comprises a first mating member located at a portion of the body member other than the upper edge area and configured to attach to a corresponding second mating member located on the collar member. In one embodiment, the first mating member comprises a female mating member and the corresponding second mating member comprises a male mating member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various FIGS. is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front view of an inflatable vest with a repositionable collar portion attached to an upper portion of the vest body in accordance with aspects of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of an inflatable vest with a repositionable collar portion with one side detached from an upper portion of the vest body in accordance with aspects of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a front view of an inflatable vest with a repositionable collar portion fully detached from an upper portion of the vest body in accordance with aspects of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a back view of an inflatable vest with a repositionable collar portion attached to a lower back portion of the vest body in a storage configuration in accordance with aspects of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a close up view of a repositionable collar portion, showing the male member of an attachment mechanism by which the collar portion is removably attachable to the vest; and
FIG. 6 is a close up view of an upper portion of the vest body, showing the female member of an attachment mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
For the purposes of illustration only, and not to limit the generality, the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. This disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
FIG. 1 illustrates an inflatable vest 10 with a repositionable collar portion 25 attached to an upper portion 15 of the vest body 55 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The vest 10 may have an inflatable body member 55, a first inflatable collar portion 25, and a second inflatable collar portion 30. The body member 55 may have a left side 45 and a right side 50. The body member 55 may comprise an inflatable member. After the child's head has been placed through the neck opening 35 and his or her arms through the arm openings 40, attachment devices 75 may connect the left side 45 and the right side 50, thereby securing the inflatable body member 55 of the vest 10 onto the child. Inflation stems 60 may be used to inflate various sections of the vest 10. The vest 10 may include a first inflatable collar portion 25 and a second inflatable collar portion 30. The first and second collar portions 25, 30 may be located at an upper portion 15 of the vest body 55. The first and second collar portions 25, 30 may be located at an upper edge area 80 near the neck opening 35. The first inflatable collar portion 25 is removable, and may include a mating member 65 designed to mate to a corresponding mating member 70 on the vest body 55 near the upper edge area 80. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6 the mating member 65 on the detachable collar portion 25 is a male mating member, while the mating member 70 on the vest body 55 is a female mating member. However, the orientation of the members could be reversed. The mating members 65 and 70 together form a first attachment means 67 by which the first inflatable collar portion 25 is removably attached to the upper edge area 80 of the body member 55. Other attachment means known to a person of ordinary skill in the art could be substituted for the mating members. These alternatives include, without limitation, snaps, buttons, ties, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.
FIG. 2 illustrates the inflatable vest 10 with a repositionable collar portion 25 having one side detached from an upper portion 15 of the vest body 55 in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the first attachment mechanism 67 comprises male members 65 on the removable collar portion 25 and corresponding female members 70 located on the upper edge area 80 of the body 55.
FIG. 3 illustrates the inflatable vest 10 with the repositionable collar portion 25 fully detached from the body portion 55 of the vest 10.
FIG. 4 illustrates collar portion 25 removably attached to the back of a lower portion 20 of vest 10. Removal of collar portion 25 from the neck area of the vest will provide additional freedom of movement to the wearer of the vest. Re-attachment of collar portion 25 to the back of the body 55, or to some other location on the vest 10, will provide safe and convenient storage of the detached collar portion 25 so that it may quickly be found and re-attached at the upper edge area 80 of the body member 55 when desired. The collar portion 25 is attached to the back of the body 55, by a second attachment means 69. The second attachment means comprises mating members 65 on the collar portion 25 and corresponding mating members on the back lower portion of the vest body 55 (not visible in FIG. 6). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the mating members 65 are male mating members; however, the orientation of the mating members could be reversed. Furthermore, other attachment means known to a person of ordinary skill in the art could be substituted for the mating members. These alternatives include, without limitation, snaps, buttons, ties, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.
FIGS. 5 and 6 depict the male member 65 and female member 70, respectively, of the attachment mechanism for removably attaching collar portion 25 to the body member 55 in the desired location. While FIGS. 1-6 show the male member 65 on the collar portion 25 and the female member 70 on the upper edge area 80 of the body member 55, these placements could readily be reversed, with the female member being placed on the collar portion 25 and the male member being placed on the body member 55. The members 65 and 70 are made of molded plastic, in known fashion. Other suitable fasteners known in the art may also be used as the attachment mechanisms.
In an alternative embodiment not shown but operating according to similar principles to the above-described embodiments, the second collar portion 30 may also be removable in addition to or alternatively to front collar portion 25. According to some embodiments, the second collar portion 30 may be re-attachable to the body 55 of vest 10 at some portion of the body 55 other than the upper edge area 80 in a manner similar to that discussed above with regard to the first collar portion 25.
Having thus described at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, various alternations, modifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting. The disclosure's limit is defined only in the following claims and equivalents thereto.
Patent Application
20160068241
