Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B31/00—Swimming aids
  • A63B31/08—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs
  • A63B31/10—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs held by, or attachable to, the hands or feet
  • A63B31/11—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs held by, or attachable to, the hands or feet attachable only to the feet
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B31/00—Swimming aids
  • A63B31/08—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs
  • A63B31/10—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs held by, or attachable to, the hands or feet
  • A63B31/11—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs held by, or attachable to, the hands or feet attachable only to the feet
  • A63B2031/112—Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs held by, or attachable to, the hands or feet attachable only to the feet with means facilitating walking, e.g. rectractable, detachable or pivotable blades

Definitions

• the present invention relates to footwear for both land and water use.
• water zones such as lake, swimming pool
• waterproof shoes such as sandals
• flippers are also used in the water to enable efficient use of the propelling force of the legs during swimming.
• Backround Art is added to by the fact that you have to leave the sandals at the edge of the water and you have to carry the flippers until you get to the water.
• the purpose of the present invention is that of making land and water footwear that can be used efficiently both as a sandal and as a flipper capable of optimizing the propelling force of the legs during the swim.
• amphibious footwear comprising: a sole, and a substantially flat portion, in fact a flipper; the said footwear being characterized by the inclusion of a pivot integral with the sole, having an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the sole itself, the flat portion being supported by the above-mentioned pivot so that it can rotate around the axis of the pivot between a first position where at least a portion of the flat part is outside the outline of the sole and a second position in which the flat part is substantially confined inside the outline of the sole.
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale section of line III-III with the removal of some parts of the footwear in figure 1 ;
• figure 4 is an enlarged overhead view of a first detail of figure 1 , with, at intermittent line, the positions assumed by a second detail;
• figure 5 is an enlarged scale section set of lines from S1 to S14 with the removal of parts of footwear in figure 1 ;
• - figure 6 is an enlarged side view with some parts of figure 1 removed;
• - figure 7 is an under view with some parts of footwear in figure 1 removed;
• FIG. 8 is a section of line VIII-VIII with some parts of footwear in figure 1 removed;
• - figure 9 is a rear view with some parts of figure 1 removed;
• - figure 10 is a perspective view of a first detail of figure 4 from the footwear in figure 1 ;
• figure 11 is a perspective view of a second detail from the the footwear in figure 1 ;
• figure 12 is a perspective view of a third detail from footwear in figure 1.
• Figure 1 illustrates by A a footwear consisting of an upper part B suitable to hold the foot and an under part C which is comprised of a sole D of which the upper side is used for resting the foot, and a flipper
• the upper part B comprises: a back portion 23 fixed in correspondence with its under zone to sole D and shaped for receiving the heel; two main straps 4 fixed to sole D and centrally united together; one central strap 8 partially drilled coming from the straps 4 at the place where they unite; one ring-shaped strap 6 partially attached to toe-divider 5 and fixed to sole D for the purpose of resting the big toe; two secondary straps 7 coming from central strap 8 connecting to sole D through a buttonhole 9 belonging to sole D, connecting at a second point to central strap 8 through loops 11 belonging to strap 8, and finishing with a portion ready to be fixed to buckles 10 matching with the upper portion of the back part 23.
• the back part 23 has other means of attachment, in particular button 3, for connecting an ankle rest (illustrated in fig. 11) to be used for supporting the ankle.
• the ankle rest is fixed to the lower part of the leg of the user while a strap 2 is fixed to the ankle rest and positioned in a way that, during use, squeezes the ankle in an area immediately above the malleolous.
• the ankle rest 1 should preferably be made of a material that can float.
• the lower part C comprises the sole D, the pivot F (illustrated in overhead view in fig. 4 and in fig. 10) of vertical axis 36, and the flipper P.
• the pivot F is fixed to sole D and holds the flipper P resulting in the capacity of a turning movement around pivot F. Because of this the flipper P can be moved through a rotation of 180° around axis 36, in a reversible way, from a first position in which a part of the flipper is external to the outline of the sole D and a second position 16 in which the fiipper P is substantially contained within the outline of the sole D.
• the lower portion of the sole D is made in a shape to hold the flipper P and in particular is made to lie together, without play and interference, with the upper side of the flipper P having a convex and sloping shape, when it is found in the second position 16.
• the sole D shows a series of openings 19 with various dimensions.
• footwear A also has a longitudinal axis 30 passing to vertical axis 36 and placing on a plane substantially represented from sole D.
• FIG 4 are presented a large scale overhead view of pivot F and, in sketch, the form of the fiipper P in the first position 15 and in the second position
• the pivot F is a unique body in which two overlapping cylindrical parts can be distinguished: the lower part, larger in dimension, indicated with 28 and the upper part, smaller in dimension, indicated with 14. Each part has contact with the other in correspondence with the upper side of part 28 and the under side of part 14.
• the upper portion 14 has a substantially cylindrical form in which the base surface is fusiform in shape having a major axis indicated with 29 in figure 4. Therefore this surface presents, in correspondence with the intersection with axis 29 some parts substantially pointed.
• Axis 29 is orientated in a direction inclined towards the medial side of the foot with respect to the longitudinal axis 30 of the footwear.
• the upper portion 14 presents a pair of reliefs AP1 and AP2 along axis 30.
• the lower portion 28 presents a substantially cylindrical form in which the base surface is ellipsoidal and has its minor axis coinciding with longitudinal axis 30 of footwear A. This orientation is carried out to allow the lower part of footwear, which is sole D and flipper P, to be well adapted to cope with the mechanical stress produced during walking, particularly because that stress is prevalently oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis 30. In this direction, in fact, the lower portion 28 presents its minor diameter and, opposing less resistance to deformation, makes walking easier and less tiring.
• the lower portion 28 presents a pair of reliefs L1 and L2 placed on a trasversal axis (not illustrated) perpendicular to longitudinal axis 30 and passing vertical axis 36.
• the pivot F presents a series of holes 24 passing between the upper base of portion 14 and the lower base of portion 28 formed in such a way as to house a corresponding series of anchors G fixed to the lower part of sole D for the purpose of creating a stable mechanical connection between pivot F and sole D.
• This connection however can be realized by sticking the two pieces together.
• the sole D in correspondence of the surface of contact with pivot F presents, as illustrated in figure 3, a relief 31 to which the anchors G are connected, having substantially the same form as the upper part of pivot F with which it has contact.
• This relief 31 allows the anchors G to be used at a lower height, therefore at a major mechanical resistance.
• the openings 19 are not present in the area, indicated in figure 7 with X, corresponding with those of anchors G.
• the lateral surfaces of portions 28 and 14 have a bell-shaped form with a larger diameter at the bottom.
• the pivot F presents a surface of contact 17 defined on the whole as: from the lateral surface of portion 14, from the rim of upper sur ace of portion 28 not used with portion 14, and from the lateral surface of portion 28.
• the flipper P has an external outline conforming to the external outline of sole D and also has an opening 18 made to work smoothly in use with the surface of contact 17 when the flipper is used in the first position 15 and in the second position 16 substantially without play and without interference.
• This characteristic is possible because of the concurrence of two factors: one that there is a rotation of 180° around the axis 36 and the other factor is that each part of pivot F corresponds to an identical part symmetrically placed in comparison with a plane corresponding to axis 36.
• This configuration allows flipper P to rotate without translatory motion with respect to pivot F and sole D being this latter so firmly attached to pivot F itself.
• the form of the upper surface of flipper P is downwardly convex in form (evident in figure 5) which gives minor resistance to the water when the leg is moved towards the body, a movement not used to aid floating.
• some fibre, laminate or some other material (not illustrated on graphic table) into the thickness of plastic material of flipper P, in a front to back motion, during or following its construction.
• a groove 39 in the lower side of flipper P there is a groove 39, as seen in figure 3, lengthered in form and symmetrically placed to major longitudinal axis 30 of footwear A.
• the contours of groove 39 are contained in the internal outline of flipper P and the height of the groove 39 corresponds to hole 18, gradually decreasing until it disappears towards the outer side.
• the flipper P presents a relief 12 in the its upper portion which, in the second position 16, is found corresponding to the rear part 23 of footwear A.
• Footwear A includes a first and a second series of means for fixing and stabilizing the said first position 15 and second position 16.
• the first series of means for fixing and stabilizing uses the means of synergy present in pivot F and particularly: the fusiform base of portion 14 and relief 31 , reliefs AP1 and AP2 of upper portion 14 of pivot F together corresponding with hollows 34 and 35 present in hole 18.
• the plasticity of the material used in making footwear A and pivot F allows the flipper P adapted to the irregularities of the pivot to be turned by suitable manual force from the first to the second position and viceversa.
• the flipper P cannot be moved accidentally, because the casual stress during walking or swimming, thanks to the device-shaped form of the pivot F.
• the first series of means of fixing and stabilizing also makes use of the particular upper surface of flipper P which is downwardly convex in form (see fig.
• the second series of means of fixing and stabilizing (illustrated in figures 1 , 3 and 5) includes a tongue 21 placed in rear zone 23 and firmly attached to upper part B, finishing with a pivot 26 put into use with hole 13 found in flipper P in such a way that corresponds with pivot 26 when flipper P is in the second position 16.
• a thread can be used on pivot 26 rather than hole 13 so that pivot 26 stays firmly in position.
• the second series of means for fixing and stabilizing also includes (as illustrated in figures 1 and 9) a relief 12 of flipper P that, when flipper P is in the second position 16, is put in an hollow 38 made for relief 12 in the rear part of sole D.
• This stabilization comes about in the same way if (mode not illustrated in graphic table) the relief 12 belongs to sole D and hollow 38 belongs to flipper P.
• the footwear A includes a series of devices for the draining of liquid and dust and for the self-cleaning of footwear.
• a first of these devices is an opening (indicated by 27 in fig. 3) internally present in hole 13 to allow drainage of water which would otherwise remain in it.
• a second of these devices is the fusiform form of upper portion 14 of pivot F and the bell-shaped lateral surface of pivot F and, particularly, the surfaces of contact 17.
• these parts push against the walls of hole 18 clearing the impurities that therefore tend to go away because of gravity and the form of pivot F.
• This effect is aided by a cavity 39 which facilitates the elimination of impurities.
• the side surface form of lower portion 28 of pivot F corresponding to cavity 39 can be simply bell-shaped or, as illustrated in fig. 3, can present two areas 40 and 41 of diverse inclination.
• the first area 40 when in contact with hole 18 follows the bell-shaped line of pivot F while the second area 41 is found in cavity 39 and has a different inclination to that of the first area 40. This configuration reduces the quantity of impurities that penetrate hole 18 during walking.
• a third of these devices is the form of the upper surface of flipper P which is downwardly convex (see fig. 5) and so facilitates the drainage of dust and liquid towards the bottom.
• a fourth of these devices are in the openings 19 in sole D (see figures 6, 7 and 8) that aid the perspiration of the foot and drainage of dust when footwear A is used out of the water and that aid the drainage of water when the footwear is used in water.
• a fifth of these devices is a series of crossing canals 37 (illustrated in figures 7 and 8) present in all the lower part of sole D except the part taken by pivot F.
• Each canal substantially crosses longitudinal axis 30 and is of diminishing dimension from the outside to the inside; that is to say the canals 37 have their biggest dimension at the most external part and almost disappear at the most internal part.
• the canals 37 can be made crossing longitudinal axis 30 as illustrated in fig. 7 or they can be made like a fish herring-bone (not illustrated) preferably adjacent to 12
• a sixth of these devices is constitued in openings 25 present in diverse elements in upper part B that favours the perspiration of the foot when the footwear is used out of the water and the drainage of the water when the footwear is used in water.
• the footwear that is the present invention presents numerous advantages in that it is a single object fulfilling functions as footwear and as a means of exploiting the propelling forces of the legs in water; it eliminates the inconvenience of having to use two objects, such as sandals and flippers, on entering and leaving the water, it eliminates the inconvenience of leaving sandals at the edge of the water and having to carry flippers to the water.
• the present invention is strong, simple to make and of reasonable cost.
• the second series of means for fixing and stabilizing could (as illustrated in fig. 12) have a buckle 20 placed in rear zone 23 and firmly attached to upper B to be attached to a strap 22 to be attached to buckle 20 when the flipper P is in the second position 16.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11341287

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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• 1996
  • 1996-03-22 IT IT96BO000161A patent/IT1285634B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1997
  • 1997-03-21 EP EP97907272A patent/EP0831955A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-03-21 WO PCT/IT1997/000064 patent/WO1997035644A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-03-21 AU AU19393/97A patent/AU1939397A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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