SWIMMING AID AND METHODS OF USE

Abstract

A swimming aid for the shin or shins of a swimmer. In an embodiment of the invention, the aid is wearable by inserting a leg through the swimming aid. In an alternative embodiment, the swimming aid further includes a zipper or other means of closure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various swimming aids are available. They support and/or provide flotation to the back, arms, thighs and feet. The drawbacks of the available swimming aids are that they are not easy to use, reduce the hydrodynamic motion of the swimmer, increase drag and hinder the continuous act of swimming by allowing the lower part of the leg to sink. Fins, on the other hand, increase flotation of the feet but do not provide a natural swimming experience to the swimmer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the present invention a swimming aid that provides upward force and floats the swimmer from the shins is disclosed.

According to embodiments of the present invention the swimming aid keeps all parts of both legs parallel to the water level and substantially on the same elevation as the rest of the body by floating the legs from the shins, thereby aiding the swimmer swim, for example during free style swimming.

According to further embodiments of the present invention the swimming aid of the present invention is evenly distributed along the shin and maintains the hydrodynamic movement of the swimmer.

According to some embodiments of the present invention the floatation the swimming aid provides is proportional to the swimmers weight.

According to some embodiments of the present invention the swimming aid of the present invention is made of a support material which does not completely soak. According to one embodiment of the present invention the non soaking material is NEOPRENE. In one embodiment the support material encapsulates the floating material EPE Foam. In an alternative embodiment a sheet of the support material is connected to a sheet of the floating material.

According to some embodiments of the present invention the swimming aid of the present invention is multilayered, the outer layer in the support material, the next layer is the floatation material, and then another layer of the support material. In other embodiments it includes two layers, a support material and the floatation material. In yet another embodiment the swimming aid is made of a single layer or multiple layers of the floating material. In some embodiments the swimming aid generally follows the contour of the shin.

According to some embodiments of the present invention the swimming aid of the present invention is wearable on the shin. According to other embodiments it is fastened to the shins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the swimming aid worn by a swimmer according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a side view of a swimming aid according to embodiments of the present invention and a cut sectional view along line A of the layers of the swimming aid according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A-3D are schematic perspective drawings of the swimming aid, according to embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the design, ease of operation and the way the swimming aid is placed on the shins according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic drawing of the swimming aid on each of the two shins of a swimmer, according to embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention swimming aid 10 is useful as an aid for free style swimmers since it lifts their legs so as to maintain their body leveled with the water, a problem many free style swimmers encounter. Swimming aid 10 is placed on the shin of the swimmer so as to keep all the other parts of the legs free. In one embodiment, swimming aid 10 is of generally cylindrical shape and is worn by the swimmer around the shins, by the swimmer inserting his feet through the swimming aid 10 and is kept on the sheen by the support material. In an alternative embodiment, swimming aid 10 is fastened to the shins by fastening means such as VELCRO fasteners. The swimming aid 10 may be a conical frustum, tapering cone, or an irregular conical frustum or cone tapering irregularly.

In certain embodiments, swimming aid 10 is of decreasing diameter from one end to the other. In certain embodiments, swimming aid 10 is worn such that the end with the smaller diameter is positioned towards the wearer's feet. Reference is made to FIGS. 2A and 2B, which is a cut through view of the layers of the swimming aid according to embodiments of the present invention. As seen from longitudinal cross section 20, the swimming aid of the present invention is tapered towards the end of the swimming aid 10 that is positioned proximal to the feet so as to follow the contour of the shin so as to maximize the hydrodynamic motion of the swimmer.

Flotation material may be contained within one or more compartments. In one embodiment, the flotation compartments do not entirely cover the outside of the swimming aid 10. As seen in the latitudinal cross section 30, the floatation material is preferably encapsulated within the support material, such as NEOPRENE. In one embodiment the floatation material is EPE Foam used also in packaging. EPO Foam is light weight, has low density and is relatively non-absorbing of water. In another embodiment of the present invention the EPE Foam may be a layer of substantially similar size and shape as the NEOPRENE layer and connected thereto so as to form a two layer swimming aid. Other flotation materials can be used as well.

According to embodiments of the present invention the size the swimming aid is proportional to the swimmer's height, for example smaller ones will fit a child swimmer while bigger ones an adult swimmer. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the weight of the swimming aid is also proportional to the swimmer size, primarily to his or her weight. In one embodiment, in order to keep a 170 lb swimmer leveled with the water, the device may provide 1.5 lb upward force per shin. For a 120 lb swimmer, the device may provide 0.75 lb of upward force per shin.

Reference is made to FIGS. 3A-3D, which are schematic perspective drawings of the swimming aid, according to embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate a more swimmer friendly version of the swimming aid in that it includes a zipper which allows a swimmer to easily wear the swimming aid on the shins. As shown in FIG. 3B which is a top view of along the line indicated in FIG. 3A, the swimming aid body is made of NEOPRENE while the floating material is enclosed in two elongated pockets along both sides of the swimming aid, similarly to the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B. In addition, in this embodiment the swimming aid includes a zipper shown in FIGS. 2B, 2C and 2D which allows the swimmer to wear the swimming aid with the zipper open and then zip it. In one embodiment, a flap of NEOPRENE (not shown) is placed inward of the zipper so the zipper does not touch the swimmer's skin. It will be appreciated that while the zipper in FIGS. 3C-3D is shown along the entire length of the swimming aid, the zipper may be shorter and can also be in other orientations such as across the swimming aid and not necessarily along it.

Reference is made to the 12 images (numbers 1-12) of FIG. 4 which are pictorial illustrations of the swimming aid, according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates the design, ease of operation and the way the swimming aid is placed on the shins according to embodiments of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the swimming aid of the present invention allows an amateur swimmer, who normally can swim a certain number of laps of free style swimming, significantly increase the number of laps he can swim thereby improving his swimming skills and exercise longer. It will also be appreciated that the swimming aid of the present invention allows a professional swimmer on every level improve his or her skills by leveling the legs with the water more easily with the swimming aid thereby focusing on exercising the torso and hands movement.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A swimming aid for the shin of a swimmer.

2. The swimming aid of claim 1 wherein the swimming aid is a conical frustum, tapering cone, or an irregular conical frustum or cone tapering irregularly.

3. The swimming aid of claim 2 wherein the swimming aid is wearable by inserting the leg of the swimmer there through.

4. The swimming aid of claim 3 wherein the swimming aid comprises a zipper along a longitudinal axis to allow easier wearing thereof.

5. The swimming aid of claim 1 comprising a floatation material encapsulated within a support material.

6. The swimming aid of claim 5 wherein the floatation material is EPE foam.

7. The swimming aid of claim 5 wherein the support material does not completely soak.

8. The swimming aid of claim 7 wherein the support material is NEOPRENE.

9. The swimming aid of claim 4 wherein a flap is placed inward of the zipper so the zipper does not touch the swimmer's skin.

10. The swimming aid of claim 9 wherein the flap is made of NEOPRENE.