Swim Trainer

Abstract

The ability for a non-swimmer or unskilled swimmer to float horizontally in the water can be lifesaving and can reduce the incidence of drowning deaths. Swim training devices to facilitate teaching of basic flotation techniques to non-swimmers, unskilled swimmers, and for use in rehabilitation therapy and general aqua therapy are disclosed herein. The devices and methods are designed to encourage, facilitate, and increase psychological comfort with floating in a horizontal position, versus a vertical position. The swim trainer device includes a body and a float which may be mounted coplanar with the body, and may be adjustable. Multiple uses and configurations are discussed for use by swim instructors and others working with infants, toddlers, children, and adults.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the technical field of athletics and aqua-therapy training devices. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of swim training for youths and adults, aqua-therapy aids for youths and adults, and water safety training devices for youths and adults.

Existing devices in the same technical field (referred to “swim trainers” for this document) have distinct design flaws in terms of adjustability for different student/client body types or skill levels, positioning of the student or client during training which negatively affects the efficacy of training and leads to results which may not enable the trainee to properly swim on their own, ability for some students or clients to grip and manipulate the swim trainer while training, and geometry to support a student or client as they progress in skill or recovery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device to be used in swim training, exercise, and aqua-therapy by a wide variety of body types and sizes, irrespective of age or gender. It is designed to have various sizes within the same general design (ex. “Small” for children, “Large” for adults), and to be adjustable by design within each specific size. It consists of a molded, extruded, or inflatable cross member, with two pass-through holes to allow a standard foam float tube (known in the market as a “pool noodle”) to be inserted, completing the assembly. In essence, this invention may be seen as an accessory to the “pool noodle,” assembling to create a much more useful device. The cross member may have features to allow for a trainee to lay more comfortably face up or face down, and will include features to allow for hand holds on either end. Additionally, as a trainee progresses, or for different exercises during aqua-therapy, the crossmember may be used without a standard foam float tube as a light kick board or saddle seat style float.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is ¾ view of the device of the present invention. (10)

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1 (10).

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1 (10).

FIG. 4 is a ¾ view of the device of FIG. 1, shown with standard foam float tube inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 5 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1, shown with standard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 6 is a side view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1, shown with pool float standard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines (10).

FIG. 7 is a ¾ view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1 (10), shown with standard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines, and face-up in-use human figure (30) shaded, for reference.

FIG. 8 is a ¾ view of the inflatable device of FIG. 1 (10), shown with standard foam float tube (20) inserted, in dashed lines, and face-down in-use human figure (30) shaded for reference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1 there is shown a cross member (10) consisting of buoyant physical material, such as foam, wood, etc., or buoyant construction, such as inflatable membrane or hollow shell filled with air or other buoyant physical material, such that the crossmember will float in water and maintain sufficient buoyancy to support a human being appropriate to the size of the design.

In further detail, now referring to the invention of FIG. 1 and now FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the crossmember has two symmetrically positioned through holes of an appropriate size to accommodate a standard foam pool float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the crossmember (10) is shown from a ¾ view with a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes, forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the crossmember (10) is shown from a top view with a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes, further detailing the positioning required, forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the crossmember (10) is shown from a top view with a standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes, further detailing the positioning required, forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the crossmember (10) and standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes forming the complete assembly, with positioning of a human figure (30) detailing the manner of use for a trainee in a face-down (prone) position, further detailing the positioning required, forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the crossmember (10) and standard foam float tube (20) inserted into the through holes forming the complete assembly, with positioning of a human figure (30) detailing the manner of use for a trainee in a face-up (supine) position, further detailing the positioning required, forming the complete assembly, with the positioning of the hand grips in the crossmember, relative to the standard foam float tube.

Claims

1. A swim trainer comprising: an elongated cylindrical body having two ends and two float mounts penetrating through the body; andan elongated float coupled to the body at each of the two float mounts,wherein the float penetrates the body at each of the two float mounts, wherein the body constrains the float in a “U”-shaped configuration coplanar with the body, and wherein the body separates the float into a head section and two flank sections.

2. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the two float mounts are oriented perpendicular to a long axis of the body.

3. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the float is removably coupled to the body.

4. The swim trainer of claim 3, wherein the float is adjustably positioned with respect to the body such that a head section length and a flank section length are adjustable.

5. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a central support surface disposed between the two float mounts.

6. The swim trainer of claim 1, wherein the body comprises an arm support surface formed between each of the float mounts and the ends.

7. The swim trainer of claim 1, further comprising a grip formed at each end of the body.

8. The swim trainer of claim 7, wherein each grip comprises a step.

9. The swim trainer of claim 8, wherein each grip comprises a plurality of steps.

10. A swim trainer comprising: an elongated cylindrical body having a long axis;two float mounts, each float mount comprising a hole penetrating through the body in a direction perpendicular to the long axis of the body; wherein each of the two float mounts is configured to receive a float, and wherein the float is retained by the float mounts in a configuration coplanar with the body.

11. The swim trainer of claim 10, further comprising a float adjustably coupled to the body.

12. A method of using a swim trainer having a body and a float comprising: entering a body of water holding a swim trainer; grasping the swim trainer; and rolling onto the swim trainer wherein the buoyancy of the swim trainer facilitates support of the user in a horizontal position with respect to a surface of the body of water.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the grasping step comprises grasping each of two flank sections of the float with a body of the swim trainer against the back of the shoulders; and the rolling step comprises lying supine on the swim trainer to float face-upward.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising resting the head on a central support surface disposed on a body of the swim trainer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the horizontal position is a prone position.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step resting the forehead on a central support surface disposed on a body of the swim trainer.