EP2407220B1 - Rubber ring as swimming aid - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a swim ring as swimming aid for swimming students for swimming learning, including at least one floating ring of the floating ring stabilizing ring, attached to the ring and bridging him bottom part, which is provided for supporting the chest area of a swimming pool, from the bottom part or from the ring upwards protruding wings having separable wing connecting means by which the ends of the wings are connectable behind the back of the swimming pupil and which have a wing-closure part fixed to the end of the wing and a wing-closure part attached to the end of the other wing, on the one hand on the bottom part or on the ring and on the other hand on the wings fastened carrier, which extend in the manner of suspenders on the shoulders of the swimming student, the ends of the carrier are fastened to the wings on separable carrier-connecting means, which at least one wing-side carrier closure part and at least one carrier-side carrier closure part, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such swimming rings are used to keep swimming students, preferably babies or toddlers in a stable, for example obliquely forward swimming position and to allow them to perform with arms and / or legs swimming movements.

A generic swimming ring is from the DE 199 36 736 A1 known. The wings are arranged under the armpits of the swimming student and provided at their free ends with connecting means such as connectors through which they are detachably connected behind the back of the swimming student. Furthermore, two carriers are on the one hand on the bottom part and on the other hand at the free ends of the two wings releasably fastened by connecting means and extend in the manner of suspenders in intersecting position over the shoulder area of the swimming student. Accordingly, on the one hand, the free ends of the carrier at the free ends of the wings and on the other hand, the free ends of the wings to be fastened to one another releasably. Overall, therefore, the user at least three compounds (wing - wing, carrier 1 - wing, carrier 2 - wings) to produce. It may happen that the users are not clear in which arrangement or orientation the supports (parallel or crosswise) are to be fastened to the wings or which end pieces of the detachable connections belong together. Thus, on the one hand the ease of use of the known floating ring is not very high. On the other hand, it can not be ruled out that the location of the swimming student, often babies and toddlers in the swimming ring is not sufficiently secured by incorrectly made connections.

The present invention is based on the object to further develop a floating ring of the type mentioned above such that it has a higher ease of use and higher reliability.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Disclosure of the invention

• die Träger mit ihren flügelseitigen Enden an einem gemeinsamen trägerseitigen Träger-Verschlussteil befestigt sind,
• das flügelseitige Träger-Verschlussteil mit dem Flügel-Verschlussteil des einen Flügels zu einem kombinierten flügelseitigen Verschlussteil baueinheitlich zusammengefasst ist, mit welchem sowohl das Flügel-Verschlussteil des anderen Flügels als auch das gemeinsame trägerseitige Träger-Verschlussteil jeweils trennbar verbindbar ist, wobei
• das kombinierte flügelseitige Verschlussteil, das trägerseitige Träger-Verschlussteil und das Flügel-Verschlussteil des anderen Flügels derart ausgebildet sind, dass ein Zustandkommen von trennbaren Verbindungen dieser Verschlussteile untereinander in nur einer einzigen Verbindungskonstellation möglich ist,
• wobei die Träger-Verbindungsmittel und die Flügel-Verbindungsmittel jeweils durch Steckverschlüsse gebildet werden und das trägerseitige Träger-Verschlussteil, das Flügel-Verschlussteil des anderen Flügels und das kombinierte flügelseitige Verschlussteil wenigstens einen männlichen Stecker und wenigstens eine weibliche Steckeraufnahme beinhalten, wobei Stecker und Steckeraufnahmen geometrisch derart unterschiedlich ausgebildet sind, dass alle Steckverbindungen zwischen Steckern und Steckeraufnahmen nur in der einzigen Verbindungskonstellation zustande kommen können.

The invention proposes that

• the carriers are fastened with their wing-side ends to a common carrier-side carrier closure part,
• the wing-side carrier-closure part with the wing-closure part of the one wing is uniformly combined to form a combined wing-side closure part, with which both the wing-closure part of the other wing and the common carrier-side carrier closure part is each separably connectable, wherein
• the combined wing-side closure member, the wearer-side carrier closure member and the wing-closure member of the other wing such are formed such that a coming about of separable connections of these closure parts with one another is possible in only a single connection constellation,
• wherein the carrier connecting means and the wing connecting means are each formed by plug-in closures and the carrier-side carrier closure part, the wing closure part of the other wing and the combined wing-side closure part at least one male connector and at least one female connector receptacle, wherein male and female receptacles geometric are designed differently, that all connectors between plugs and plug receptacles can come about only in the single connection constellation.

Under different design of the geometry, for example, different lengths and / or widths and / or different cross-sections of the plug and plug receptacles to understand.

In this single connection constellation, the common wearer-side carrier closure member is connected to the wing-side carrier closure member and the wing-closure member of one wing is connected to the wing-closure member of the other wing.

It has been found that crossing beams are less favorable in terms of ergonomics. The invention therefore effectively precludes, on the one hand, that a connection of the carriers to the wings takes place when the carriers run crosswise relative to one another.

Furthermore, it is ensured by the invention that the floating ring is used exclusively in the desired connection constellation of carriers and wings, not least because in only one failed connection a wing or carrier loose hanging would make application of the floating ring impossible.

Since the desired connection constellation of wings and carriers ensured by the invention is at the same time also the most reliable, the invention advantageously increases the operational safety of the floating ring.

In addition, the measure according to the invention causes a self-explanatory application of the floating ring, because the user quickly becomes clear in view of the inventively designed closures that the carrier with the wings and the latter can be connected to each other only in a single way.

The measures listed in the dependent claims advantageous refinements and improvements of the invention specified in the independent claims are possible.

According to a particularly preferred development, the carrier-side carrier closure part includes at least one male connector, the wing closure part of the other wing at least one further male connector and the combined wing-side closure part at least two female connector receptacles.

A male connector has, for example, a deformable upon insertion into a female connector receptacle locking lug, which engages in a fully inserted end position of the plug into a recess of the connector receptacle resiliently springing a retaining edge of the recess. The geometry of the locking lugs of the plug or the recesses of the plug receptacles can be designed differently to allow plug-in connections in the only one connection constellation.

Furthermore, particularly preferably, the combined wing-side closure part comprises at least two female plug receptacles, one female plug receptacle and one male plug or two male plugs. In this case, the combined wing-side closure part is preferably designed as a one-piece component, in particular as an injection molded article made of plastic.

Furthermore, for example, the end of the one wing forms a loop, which engages in a loop of the combined wing-side closure part. This loop is preferably also integrally formed on the one-piece combined wing-side closure part, in particular in the context of an injection molding process. This leads advantageously to a reduction of the components of the floating ring.

A particularly ergonomic operation of the floating ring by right-handed results when seen in the direction of swimming and seen from above, the combined wing-side closure part is attached to the right wing. For in this case, for example, a locking lug of a plug of the left wing can be pressed down with the thumb of the right hand to release the latching connector, while the left hand pulls the plug from the associated socket of the combined wing-side closure part. For depressing and releasing a latched locking lug a greater dexterity is usually necessary than to pull out a plug, which is why the operator ergonomics of the floating ring is increased by right-handed by the measure.

Particularly preferably, the wing-side carrier-closure part is arranged parallel to the direction of swimming and the wing-closure part of the one wing perpendicular to the direction of swimming at the combined wing-side closure part. This also helps to avoid confused connections because the different connection directions dictate the connection logic.

More specifically, it will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment.

drawing

Fig.1

eine Draufsicht auf einen Schwimmring gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Fig.2

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Schwimmrings von Fig.1;

Fig.3

eine Draufsicht auf lös- oder trennbare Verbindungen von Trägern und Flügeln des Schwimmrings von Fig.1 und 2 gemäß einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawing shows

Fig.1

a plan view of a floating ring according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig.2

a perspective view of the floating ring of Fig.1 ;

Figure 3

a plan view of detachable or separable connections of carriers and wings of the floating ring of Fig.1 and 2 according to a preferred embodiment.

Description of the embodiment

In the Fig.1 a swimming ring 1 is shown according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is provided as swimming aid for swimming students for swimming learning.

The floating ring 1 includes, for example, a floating ring of the floating ring stabilizing inflatable ring 2 with air supply and - discharge openings 4, which is closed by a valve body. The ring 2 has a rear part 6, so that it is open at the back and inflated in the inflated state and can be applied in the bent state around the upper body of a swimming student. The ring 2 preferably has two separately inflatable air chambers that can be ventilated and deaerated independently of each other via the air supply and discharge openings 4. The wall of the ring 2 is preferably made of plastic and may optionally include reinforcing material.

On the ring 2, a bottom part 8 bridging it on the bottom side is fixed, for example by the fact that the bottom part 8 is welded along an inner circumference of the ring 2 with the latter by means of a welded seam. The bottom part 8 is provided for supporting the chest region of a swimming student and extends, for example, according to a preferred floating position from front to back (to the separation point 6 out) seen obliquely downwards. Rear means based on the swimming position of the swimming student pointing to the legs.

The bottom part 8 is preferably also inflatable and has for this purpose its own, in the view of Fig.1 and 2 invisible air inlet and outlet opening on, which is also closed by a valve body. As a result, the bottom part 8 is independent of the ring 2 and ventilated. Also, by the weld with the ring 2 preferably integral bottom part 8 may have several own air chambers.

Furthermore, on the left and right of an annular opening 10 are preferably provided separately from the bottom part 8 inflatable wings 12, 13, which protrude upwards in a floating position and are then arranged in the area below the armpits of the swimming pupil. The walls of the hollow wings 12, 13 and the hollow bottom part 8 are preferably made of plastic and may optionally contain reinforcing material.

The wings 12, 13 constitute body-fitting parts and have wing connection means 14, by means of which the free ends of the wings 12, 13 behind the back of the swimming pupil are releasably connectable to each other. These wing connection means 14 have a wing-closure part 15 fastened to the belt 15 attached to the end of the right-hand wing 13 and a wing-closure part 17 fastened to the belt 14 arranged at the end of the left wing 12 (FIG. Figure 3 ).

According to a preferred embodiment, the wing connecting means 14 are formed by a plug-in closure, wherein on one strap 16 of the left wing 12, for example, a male 17 and the other strap 16 of the right wing 13 a complementary to the plug 17 female connector receptacle 15 end is held. The connection between the ends of the straps 16 and the plug 17 and the plug receptacle 15 takes place for example by loops, wherein in each case a loop of a belt engages in a formed on the plug 17 and the plug receptacle 15 loop, as best of Figure 3 you can see. The ends of the initially open loops of the straps 16 are then inserted, for example through the loops of the plug 17 and the plug receptacle 15 and then welded together.

If then the plug 17, for example, one upon insertion into the connector receptacle 15 (see lower arrow in FIG Figure 3 ) has deformable locking lug 28, which in fully inserted end position of the plug 17 in a recess 30 of the connector receptacle 15 elastically rebounding a retaining edge 32 of the recess 30 engages behind, thereby a positive and releasable connection between the two wings 12, 13 is realized. This positive connection of the wings 12, 13 by the wing connecting means 14 is made, for example, when the ring 2 has been applied in the inflated state around the upper body of the swimming pupil and the position of the swimming pupil along the inclined bottom part 8 by the two wings 12, 13th to be secured.

To secure the position of the swimming student in the ring 2 are further on the one hand preferably on the bottom part 8 and on the other hand at the free ends of the wings 12, 13 attachable support 18, 19 provided, which extend in the manner of suspenders on the shoulders of the swimming student and preferably do not cross , These carriers 18, 19 serve to keep the position or the floating position of the swimming pupil relative to the ring 2 and in particular relative to the bottom part 8 as unchanged as possible and in particular an unintentional release of the swimming pupil from the floating ring 1 or a change in the swimming position prevent. In Fig.1 these supports 18, 19 are in a state released from the wings 12, 13 and in FIG Fig.2 shown in a connected to the wings 12 state.

The carriers 18, 19 are realized for example by a single inflatable plastic hose, which is guided through two openings 20 in the bottom part and projects with its free ends in each case upward through the bottom part 8. As a result, a transverse part of the carriers 18, 19 extends below the bottom part 8 and is therefore in Fig.1 and Fig.2 not visible. Alternatively, the carriers 18, 19 could also be executed separately welded to the bottom part 8 or directly to the ring 2.

The embodiment of the carrier 18, 19 as the only inflatable plastic tube has the advantage that only a single ventilation opening must be provided. Furthermore, this creates an elastic cushion, which on the one hand can very well cling to the upper body of the swimming student and on the other hand due to the elasticity can exert a certain pressure on the upper body to stabilize the swimming position. Alternatively, however, a non-inflatable plastic strip could be used as a carrier 18, 19.

The free ends of the carriers 18, 19 are fastened to the wings 12, 13 via separable carrier connection means 22, which preferably have a wing-side carrier closure part 24 and a carrier-side carrier closure part 26. The wing-side carrier closure member 24 is preferably arranged on the belt 16 of the right wing 13. The carrier-side carrier closure part 26 preferably has two loops, through which the ends of the carriers 18, 19 are looped for fixing in a known manner. Therefore, a single and common carrier-side carrier closure member 26 is preferably provided for both carriers 18, 19.

Particularly preferably, the carrier connecting means 22 are also formed by separable plug-in closures, wherein the carrier-side carrier closure member 26 is formed for example by a male connector, which in a female connector receptacle, which forms the wing-side carrier closure member 24, can be inserted, as in Figure 3 symbolized by the upper arrow. The carriers 18, 19 then together with the plug-in closures 22 form a suspenders system, which ensures a reliable use of the floating ring 1.

In this case, the wing-side carrier-closure part 24 (connector receptacle) with the wing-locking part 15 (connector receptacle) of the example right wing 13 combined to form a combined wing-side closure member 34 unitary. With this combined wing-side closure member 34, which preferably comprises two plug receptacles 15, 24, then both the wing-closure member 17 (plug) of the left wing 12 and the common carrier side Carrier closure part 26 (plug) each individually connectable as a plug connection.

Preferably, the common carrier-side carrier closure part 26 then comprises at least one male plug, the wing closure part 17 of the left wing 12 at least one further male plug and the combined wing-side closure part 34 at least two female plug receptacles 15, 24. Here are the plug receptacles 15, 24th and the plug 17, 26 geometrically formed so differently that all necessary connections between plugs 17, 26 and plug receptacles 15, 24 only come about when the plug 17, 26 in the "right", their respective associated plug receptacles 15, 24 can be inserted are.

In the present case, for example, the width B of the wing-closure member of the left wing 12 forming plug 17 is greater than the width b of the common carrier-side carrier closure member forming plug 26 so that the connected to the left wing 12 plug 17 only in the associated with him, adapted in terms of its greater width B connector receptacle 15 of the combined wing-side closure member 34 can be inserted, but not in the contrast narrower, the wing-side carrier-closure part forming plug receptacle 24th

Only in the single, in Figure 3 Connection constellation shown are the common carrier-side carrier closure member 26 (plug width b) with the wing-side carrier closure member 24 (connector receptacle) and the wing closure member 17 (plug) of the left wing 12 with the wing-closure member 15 (connector receptacle) of the right Wing 13 connectable. Otherwise, one of the two connections would not be possible, for example, an insertion of the plug 17 of the left wing 12 with the width B in the narrow connector receptacle 24 for the connector 26 of the carrier 18, 19 with the other hand, smaller width b.

The plug receptacle 15 and the plug receptacle 24 are then formed in the combined wing-side closure part 34, which is preferably designed as an integral and one-piece component. At this combined wing-side closure part 34, the plug-in receptacle 24 forming the wing-side carrier closure part is arranged perpendicular to the plug receptacle 15 forming the wing-closure part, so that the plug receptacle 24 forming the wing-side carrier closure part is parallel to the direction of swimming and the wing Closure-forming plug receptacle 15 is arranged pointing perpendicular to the direction of swimming. This also helps to avoid confused connectors because the different connector directions, in Figure 3 symbolized by the arrows, specify the connection logic.

Alternatively, of course, any plug / plug receptacle combinations are conceivable. For example, instead of two female plug receptacles 15, 24, the combined wing-side closure part 34 could also comprise two male plugs or one female plug receptacle and one male plug, in which case the associated plug-in partner on the carriers 18, 19 or on the left wing 12 opposes the respectively opposite gender must have.

As in the case of the wing connecting means 14 of the wings 18, 19, the common plug 26 attached to the ends of the supports 18, 19 has a latching nose 28 which is deformable when inserted into the complementary female plug receptacle 24 and which is in a fully inserted end position into a recess 30 of the connector receptacle 24 resiliently springing a retaining edge 32 of the recess 30 engages behind. As a result, a positive and detachable connection between the carriers 18, 19 and the wings 12, 13 is realized. By pressing the locking lug 28 of a plug 17, 26 perpendicular to the nasal plane in disengagement position and then pulling out the plug 17, 26 from the relevant connector receptacle 15, 24 then such plug-locking connections can be solved again.

Instead of the plug-in snap-in connections described above as separable closures 14, 22, other releasable closures such as zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners or buttons cooperating with buttonholes may, of course, be used. However, it is a prerequisite that the carrier closure parts 24, 26 on the one hand and the wing closure parts 15, 17, on the other hand, are designed geometrically so differently that the connections of the carriers 18, 19 and wings 12, 13 can only take place in the single connection constellation described ,

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Schwimmring

2

ring

4

Air supply and discharge opening

6

separation point

8th

the bottom part

10

ring opening

12

wing

13

wing

14

Wing connecting means

15

Wing closure part

16

belt

17

Wing closure part

18

carrier

19

carrier

20

openings

22

Carrier connection means

24

wing-side carrier closure part

26

carrier-side carrier closure part

28

locking lug

30

recess

32

retaining edge

34

combined closure part

Claims (9)

1. A swim ring (1) configured as a swim aid for swim students for learning how to swim, comprising:

   a) at least one ring (2) stabilizing a swim position of the swim ring (1);

   b) a base component (8) attached to the ring (2) and bridging the ring, wherein the base component is configured to support a chest portion of a swim student;

   c) wings (12, 13) protruding upward from the base component (8) or from the ring (2) and configured with disengageable wing connectors configured to connect ends of the wings (12, 13) with one another behind a back of the swim student and including a wing connector (15) attached to an end of a first wing (13) and a wing connector (17) attached at an end of a second wing (12); and

   d) suspenders (18, 19) that are attachable on one side at the base component (8) or at the ring (2) and on the other side at the wings (12, 13), wherein the suspenders extend like pant suspenders over shoulders of the swim student,

   e) wherein the ends of the suspenders (18, 19) are connectable to the wings (12, 13) through disengageable suspender connectors (22), which include at least one wing side suspender connector (24) and at least one suspender side suspender connector (26),

   f) wherein the suspenders (18, 19) are attached at their wing side ends at the common suspender side suspender connector (26);

   g) wherein the wing side suspender connector (24) and the wing connector (15) of the first wing (13) are integrally combined to form a one piece wing side connector (34) to which the wing connector (17) of the second wing (12) and also the common suspender side connector (26) are respectively connectable in a disengageable manner,
   and

   h) wherein the combined wing side connector (34), the suspender side suspender connector (26) and the wing connector (17) of the other wing (12) are configured, so that establishing disengageable connections of the connectors (17, 26, and 34) with one another is only possible in a single connection configuration.

   i) wherein the suspender connectors (22) and the wing connectors (14) are respectively formed by plug-in connectors,

   wherein the suspender side connector (26), the wing connector (17) of the second wing (12) and the combined wing side connector (34) include at least one male plug (17, 26) and at least one female plug receiver (15, 24),
   wherein the plugs (17, 26) and the plug receivers (15, 24) are configured with different geometries, so that all plug connections between the plugs (17, 26) and the plug receivers (15, 24) can only be established in a single connection configuration.
2. The swim ring according to claim 1, wherein the suspender side suspender connector (26) includes at least one male plug, the wing connector (17) of the second wing (12) includes at least one additional male plug and the combined wing side connector (34) includes at least two female plug receivers (15, 24).
3. The swim ring according to claim 1 or 2,
   wherein a male plug (28) includes an engagement lug (32) which is deformable upon insertion of the male plug (28) into a female plug receiver (30), and
   wherein the engagement lug (32) reaches behind a retaining edge of a recess (34) in the female plug receiver (30) in an elastically extending manner in a completely inserted end position of the male plug (28) in the female plug receiver.
4. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the combined wing side connector (34) includes at least two female plug receivers (15, 24), a female plug receiver and a male plug, or two male plugs and is configured as an integral one piece component.
5. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the common suspender side suspender connector (26) includes at least one loop through which the ends of the suspenders (18, 19) are looped.
6. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wing connector (17) of the second wing (12) includes at least one loop through which an end (16) of the second wing is looped.
7. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wing side connector (34) includes at least one loop through which an end (16) of the first wing (13) is looped.
8. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the combined wing side connector (34) is attached to the right wing (13) viewed in swimming direction from above.
9. The swim ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wing side suspender connector (24) is disposed at the combined wing side connector (34) parallel to a swim direction and the wing connector (15) of the first wing (13) is disposed perpendicular to the swim direction.

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