EP0523787A1

EP0523787A1 - Floating apparatus propelled by the alternate movement of a person's feet

Info

Publication number: EP0523787A1
Application number: EP92202073A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Ramonda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-16
Filing date: 1992-07-07
Publication date: 1993-01-20
Also published as: JPH05193556A; MX9204169A

Abstract

The present invention relates an apparatus that enables a person to move easily across the surface of water using a simple alternate foot motion, and consists of a pair of floats or of a board shaped float that are roughly boat-hull shaped. There are provided of means that, when immersed in water, tend to open when the foot is moved in a backward direction, and tend to close when the foot is moved forwards. The top surface of each float or of the board has a 'shoe-like' fitting of a known type, such as of the type fitted to water skis, for housing the feet of the person using the device.

Description

The present invention relates an apparatus that enables a person to stand up and to move easily across the surface of water using a simple alternate foot motion.
The device according to the invention consists of a pair of floats or of a board shaped float that are as small as possible in size, but are sufficient to keep a person afloat, and are roughly boat-hull shaped. There are provided of means that, when immersed in water, tend to open when the foot is moved in a backward direction, and tend to close when the foot is moved forwards. The top surface of each float or of the board has a 'shoe-like' fitting of a known type, such as of the type fitted to water skis, for housing the feet of the person using the device.
The invention can be better understood from the following examples of two embodiments, which are given solely for the purpose of illustrating the invention and in no way limiting it, and from the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment consisting of a pair of floats according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a partly cross-sectional perspective view of a second embodiment consisting of a board shaped float;
Figure 3 is a cross-section of a skate and its flap;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a flap and its joint;
Figure 5 is a side view of the device showing the alternate movement of the flaps;
Figure 6 is a partly cross-sectional perspective view of the device of fig.2 when fitted with a multiple flap system;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a skate and its multiple flap system;
Figure 8 is a cross-section of a multiple flap system.

With reference to Figure 1, the two devices (1 and 1') according to the invention consist of two elements made of a lightweight material, such as expanded resin or similar, each shaped like a boat hull and of a length, width, and cross-section that is large enough to support, in the water, half the weight of a person.
At the sides of each of these floats, there are flipper shaped fins (2 and 2', and 3 and 3') the front edge (4 and 4', and 5 and 5') of each of which is respectively hinged so that it can be in one of two positions: open and at a certain angle to the side of the float, or closed and flat against the side of the float.
In Figure 1, the fins on both floats are shown in an open position, but their closed positions can be easily imagined.
There is a foot attachment system fitted to the top surface of each of these floats, which essentially consists of a sort of shoe (5 and 5') into which the foot of the person using the device fits, and known means (6 and 6') for closing the 'shoe' and fitting the device stably to the user's foot.
The device operates as follows:
When one of the user's feet wearing the device is moved forward, the fins close so as to offer the least resistance to forward motion, which the shape of the float is also designed to offer. If the user pushes one of his feet backwards, the fins open and push against the water causing the other foot to move forwards, and in this fashion it is possible to walk on water by alternately moving one or the other foot.
In order to walk, it is thus necessary to simultaneously effect two movements: move one foot slightly backwards and the other forwards.
With reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4, the device according to the invention consists of a floating element (11) made of a lightweight material (expanded resin or similar), and shaped like a small surf-board, whose length, width, and cross-section are such that, on the water, they are capable of supporting the weight of a person, with reference to a particular type and thus weight of person.
The board may present any form of special curves, keel, or ribbing, etc., aimed at enabling it to be easier to propel and more stable in the water.
At the sides of the board (11), there are two tubular supports (12 and 12') that are of a height in proportion to the average height of the type of person the floating board is intended to be used by, and which may, if necessary, be adjustable in height.
The device is fitted with two skates (13 and 13') that are in turn each fitted with a pair of concave rimmed front wheels (14 and 14') and rear wheels (15 and 15'). These wheels run on parallel tracks consisting of a pair of tubular elements (16 and 17, and 16' and 17') set lengthwise 20 across the board.
There are two slots (18 and 18') running lengthwise through the board (11) that extend between the above tracks and for almost their entire length.
There are two flaps (19 and 19') connected to the skates (13 and 13') by suitable elements (20 and 20') housed in the slots (18 and 18'), one end of each of these elements being rigidly connected to a skate, and the other end being hinged to a flap, in such a way that the flap can rotate through 90° between the two positions shown in Figure 5.
The upper surfaces of the skates (13 and 13') are covered with a rubber type material, so that the feet of the person using the device can get the required grip.
The device operates as follows:
The person using the board places his feet on the skates (13 and 13'), and when he moves one of his feet forward, the respective flap closes by pivoting around until it is positioned parallel to the board (11) so as to offer the least resistance to the forward motion of the device. If the person using the board pushes one of his feet backwards, the respective flap opens thus pushing against the water and causing the device to move forwards.
In order to move forwards, it is therefore necessary to simultaneously move one foot backwards and one foot forwards, as shown in Figure 5.
With reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8, the device may be fitted with a system of multiple flaps, instead of single flaps (19 and 19'), consisting of a frame (21 and 21') rigidly connected to its respective skate by an element (22 and 22'). The upper edges of two or more flaps (23, 23', and 23'', etc. ) are hinged to these frames (21 and 21').
With this configuration, when a foot is moved forwards the frames (21 and 21') remain in their fixed positions, whereas the single flaps (23 and 23' etc. ) rotate until they are parallel with the floating board (11) so as not to offer resistance to forward motion.
When, in the reverse case, a foot is moved backwards, these flaps (23 and 23' etc.) rotate until they touch one another thus causing the entire device to move forwards.
With reference to Figure 6, the skates (13 and 13'), instead of simply being fitted with a non-slip surface, can be fitted with means aimed at preventing feet slipping off the skates, means which could obviously consist of straps or other systems aimed at connecting the skates to the feet of the person using them.
The above examples are given purely as a non-limiting example, and many variations are possible, such as, with reference to the first embodiment, the floats having only one fin attached to their external sides, instead fins attached to both sides, or the fin/s may be attached to the float in different positions to that illustrated, or the shape of the devices themselves may be different as a consequence of their design and characteristics being aimed at getting the best performance from devices of the smallest dimensions.
One could also construct the two devices in such a way that, in use, more than half the user's bodyweight could be supported by each float so that the devices could be used by alternately lifting each device out of the water, thus imitating the way roller skates or ice skates are used.

Claims

Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement characterized by the fact that they consists of a pair of floats (1 and 1') or of a board shaped float (11) that are as small as possible in size, but are sufficient to keep a person afloat, are roughly boat-hull shaped, and are provided of means (2, 2' or 19 or 23) that, when immersed in water, tend to open when the foot is moved in a backward direction, and tend to close when the foot is moved forwards.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claim 1 characterized by the fact that they consist of a pair of floats (1 and 1') shaped roughly like boat hulls, each with two fins (2 and 2') attached by their front edges (4 and 4') to the sides of each float (1 and 1'), that when immersed in water, tend to open when the floats are moved in a backward direction, and tend to close when the floats are moved forwards, the top surface of each float having a 'shoe-like' fitting (5 and 5') for housing one foot of the person using the device, or similar means.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that each of the floats has only one fin (2 and 2') attached to its external side, instead fins attached to both sides (2 and 2', and 3 and 3').
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized by the fact that the two devices are constructed in such a way that, in use, more than half the user's bodyweight can be supported by each float, so that the devices can be used by alternately lifting each device out of the water, thus imitating the way roller skates or ice skates are used.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claim 1 characterized by the fact that it consists of a board shaped float (11) fitted with two skates (13 and 13') that run on two sets of rails (16 and 17, and 16' and 17') each set either side of two parallel slots (18 and 18') runnning lengthwise across the float, these skates being connected to one or more flaps beneath the float, in such a way that the flap (19) or flaps (23) attached to each skate can rotate until parallel with the board when the skate in question is moved forward, and can rotate until perpendicular to the board when the skate is moved backwards, thus providing the propulsion required to move the entire apparatus forwards in the water.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that each of the skates (13 and 13') is connected to a single flap (19 and 19') by a suitable element (20 and 20') housed in one of the slots (18 and 18'), one end of each of these elements being rigidly connected to a skate, and the other end being hinged to a flap, in such a way that the flap can rotate through 90° between being parallel to the board and being perpendicular to it.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the skates (13 and 13') are connected to a system of multiple flaps consisting respectively of frames (21 and 21') each rigidly connected to its respective skate by an element (22 and 22'), housed in the slots (18 and 18'), to which the upper edges of two or more flaps (23, 23', and 23'', etc.) are hinged in such a way that they can rotate between being parallel to the board and being perpendicular to it.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the skates (13 and 13') are each fitted with a pair of concave rimmed front wheels (14 and 14') and rear wheels (15 and 15' ), that run on parallel tracks consisting of a pair of tublular elements (16 and 17, and 16' and 17') set lengthwise across the board.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the skates (13 and 13') are fitted with a simple non-slip surface to prevent feet from slipping off the skates.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the skates (13 and 13') are fitted with known means consisting of straps or other systems aimed at connecting the skates stably to the feet of the person using them.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that there are two tubular supports (12 and 12') that are of a height in proportion to the average height of the type of person the floating board is intended to be used by, which may be adjustable in height.
Floating apparatus propelled by alternate foot movement according to Claims 1 and 5, characterized by the fact that the board presents any form of special curves, keel, or ribbing, etc., aimed at enabling it to be easier to propel and more stable in the water.