AU713559B2 - Buoyancy aid - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 632190 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT *0 0 *0G 000.

.c 900*

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Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Mary Catherine Noonan 16 Wollombi Road Bilgola Plateau New South Wales 2107

AUSTRALIA

DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Buoyancy aid The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 0S 55 S S

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5020 P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\627731.NOO -4/3/97 -1- Buoyancy Aid Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a buoyancy aid, for use in the surf or water, which does not restrict body movement and also allows the individual to remain afloat in an upright position.

Description of the prior art At present, more and more people are starting to enjoy swimming and bathing activities, particularly in warmer regions situated near the surf or other water bodies. It is apparent that there is a need for a buoyancy device that assists the user in the surf or water and which also does not restrict body movement.

o "Presently, conventional flotation devices have been designed to be used when teaching persons to swim, or for keeping someone afloat after they have been cast into the water in an 15 emergency situation.

"The first category of devices consists of floats which are strapped to the back of an individual, generally a child, so as to help maintain the body in a substantially horizontal position.

Such devices also allow unimpeded movement of the arms, so as to not interfere when used in 20 the instruction of swimming technique. This device, however, is not suitable for keeping the body in an upright position, which is the necessary disposition, when swimming in the surf The second category of devices consists of items such as life jackets and the like which are flotation jackets which assist an individual to stay afloat in the water when in an emergency situation. They are not used in swimming instruction as they are intentionally quite bulky and, as such, severely restrict arm movement in the water.

P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\627731.NOO -4/3/97 -2- Summary of the invention The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a buoyancy aid for use, by an individual, in the surf or other water environments.

The present invention also seeks to provide a buoyancy aid that allows the torso to be biased towards a substantially upright position, when in the water, whilst also allowing full movement of the arms and legs. The buoyancy aid can however be used in conventional swimming position, i.e. on one's stomach, back or side, or on a boogie board or the like.

In one broad form the present invention provides a buoyancy aid for maintaining the torso of a person in a substantially upright disposition, comprising: *ivufastening means, comprising a belt and a fastening device to fit around the waist of an oo** individual; buoyancy means, comprising buoyant material adapted to be provided on the front and back of said torso in a manner such that, when coupled with the fastening means, forms a harness which straddles the shoulders of an individual.

In a preferred form, said buoyancy means are embodied to be substantially Y and/or V- 20 shaped.

In a preferred form, said buoyancy means is embodied as a pair of laterally spaced apart strips are joined at each end of the harness to form a substantially Y- or V-shape.

Preferably, said fastening means also comprises a strap disposed normal to the belt which attaches either end of said laterally spaced apart strips to the fastening means.

Preferably, said strap contains a fastening device, such as a buckle.

Preferably, either said belt and/or said strap contains an adjusting means, so as to neatly secure the harness to said torso.

P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\627731.NO 4/3/97 -3- Preferably, said buoyant material comprising compressed foam.

Preferably, said belt comprises nylon.

Preferably, said fastening device comprises a buckle. It is preferably formed from moulded plastic.

Preferably, said strap is formed of similar material to the belt.

Brief description of the drawings The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred but non limiting embodiment thereof, described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a front torso view of an individual wearing a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a behind view of an individual wearing the buoyancy aid of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a stylised design of the buoyancy aid of the invention; Fig. 4 shows a rear view of an individual wearing another preferred embodiment of the buoyancy aid of the invention; 20 Fig. 5 shows a front torso view of an individual wearing the buoyancy aid shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 7 illustrate a variation to the embodiment of Fig. 7; and, Fig. 8 shows further details of the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments The buoyancy aid, designated by the numeral 1, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, is embodied substantially in the form or design of a harness, which allows unconstricted movement of the arms. It is comprised of two laterally spaced apart strips of buoyant material 2 which are joined at the front in substantially a V-shape and joined at the back in substantially a Y-shape. It is designed to straddle the shoulders of an individual, as shown, and be secured in position by way of a fastening means 3.

P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPEC\627731.NOO 4/3/97 -4- The fastening means comprises a belt 4 formed of any suitable material, such as nylon, and, a buckle 5, which is typically formed of moulded plastic. The buckle 5 is adjustable so that the belt 4 can be neatly fitted to the particular waist size of the individual. Two straps 6 and 7 are disposed substantially normally to the belt 4 and are attached to the end portions of the substantially Y-and V-shaped of buoyant strips 2 with the belt 4. The straps 6, situated at the front of the harness, are preferably additionally provided with an adjustment means 8 associated therewith, for firmly and neatly securing the harness to an individual.

To secure the buoyancy aid 1 to an individual, the head of the wearer is placed between the two laterally spaced apart buoyant strips 2 such that the buoyant strips straddle the shoulders of the individual, with the V-shaped and/or Y-shaped portions extending down the chest and back respectively. Buckle 5 may then be fastened to fit around the waist of the individual and the adjustment means 8 is used to refine the fit.

15 Fig. 3 shows a stylised three dimensional representation of an embodiment of the buoyancy aid 1. Figs. 4 and 5 depict a further embodiment of the invention in which the two laterally spaced apart buoyancy strips 2 do no join each other in a V-shape at the chest region of the individual. Rather, each strip 2 is individually fastened to the belt 4 of the fastening means 5, by way of two sections of material 6 both of which have an adjustment means 8. Fig. 8 details the 20 belting which may be provided throughout the harness device, to which the buoyant material may S be overlaid. Alternatively, of course, if the buoyant material is of sufficient strength, then additional belting material need not be positioned but simply be attached to the extremities of the buoyant material.

A variation of the device is shown in Fig. 6, wherein the buoyant material is still shown to be provided on the front and rear torso positions, but be provided Y- or V-shaped strips. In such an embodiment, it will be appreciated that the device still supports the torso in an upright position whilst leaving the arms free and unobstructed. Fig. 7 illustrates that the buoyant material may be omitted from the upper position of the shoulders, for less restricted body movement.

P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\627731.NOO 4/3/97 It will therefore be appreciated that the present invention provides a unique device that helps maintain an individual afloat in an upright position in the water, whilst still maintaining freedom of movement in the arms. It will be appreciated that various alterations and modifications to the actual shape or aesthetic appearance of the buoyancy aid may be made without affecting the functional characteristics. All such variations and modifications should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention as broadly hereinbefore described and as claimed hereafter.

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Claims (8)

1. A buoyancy aid for maintaining the torso of a person in a substantially upright position, including: fastening means, including a belt and a fastening device to fit around the waist of an individual; buoyancy means, including buoyant material provided substantially equally on both the front and back of said torso in a manner such that, when coupled with the fastening means, form a harness which straddles the shoulders of an individual and maintains said torso in a substantially upright position. 0:00 2. A buoyancy aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said buoyancy means are embodied to be substantially Y- or V-shaped. O0

3. A buoyancy aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said buoyancy means is embodied as a pair 15 of laterally spaced apart strips are joined at each end of the harness in a substantially Y-shape. 000 0

4. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said fastening means also includes of strap disposed normal to the belt which attaches either end of said laterally spaced apart strips to the fastening means. o• S A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said strap also contains a S°fastening device, such as a buckle.

6. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein either said belt and/or said S. S: 25 strap contains an adjusting means, so as to neatly secure the harness to said torso.

7. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said buoyant strips includes compressed foam.

8. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said belt includes nylon. P:\WPDOCS\AMD\SPECI\632190.N00 22/9/99 -7-

9. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said fastening device is a buckle preferably includes moulded plastic. A buoyancy aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said strap is formed of similar material to the belt.

11. A buoyancy aid as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 22nd day of September, 1999 MARY CATHERINE NOONAN By Her Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE O eS S S S OOSS 0 S 055 0 OSS@ 0* 0 *5 0 4, 0* 5@ 00 A 5 O S 0 *5 S ;i NT