GB2378141A

GB2378141A - Swimming aid for a child

Info

Publication number: GB2378141A
Application number: GB0116523A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tracey Hunt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-06
Filing date: 2001-07-06
Publication date: 2003-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-06
Also published as: GB2378141B; GB0116523D0

Abstract

Swimming aid 10 comprises floating support 12 for supporting child or baby 14, and connector(s) 20, 22 for attaching support 12 to harness 24 worn by carer 26. Support 12 may be boat shaped, and may include flexible seating strap 18 defining holes 32, 34 through which the child's legs pass. Support 12 may be of buoyant foam, plastic, cork and/or inflatable material, and may include a removable, inflatable cushion (40, fig 6a). Support 12 may have a removable cover (44, fig. 6) on which the child may sit, which may be attached by a zip (46, fig. 8) and/or rolled up when not in use. Connector(s) 20, 22 may be attached at one end to support 12 and at the other end to harness 24, may be rigid and/or length adjustable, e.g. telescopic tube(s), and may be removably attached, e.g. via clips 36, 38. In another embodiment (see fig. 10), the floating support comprises a buoyant child or baby harness (50, fig. 10) which may be a sling, and may include a buoyancy aid (60, fig. 10) suitable for wearing around the neck of the child or baby.

Description

SWIMMING AID This invention relates to a swimming aid. More particularly, but not exclusively this invention relates to a swimming aid for supporting young children and babies whilst their carer is swimming.

It is known to provide swimming aids which support children and babies in the form of rubber rings or inflatable seats. However, it is difficult for the carer to also swim whilst controlling the rubber ring or inflatable seat. Such rubber rings and inflatable seats are also inherently unstable and difficult to manoeuvre in the water whilst the carer is swimming, The alternative is to leave the child or baby in a crib at the poolside whilst the carer swims, removing the advantage of having the baby or child in the water with their carers, becoming confident with their surroundings.

According to the present invention there is provided a swimming aid comprising a support unit capable of floating in water, for supporting a baby or young child in water, said support unit comprising a seating area for the baby or young child and a connecting member suitable for attaching said support unit to a harness worn by the child's carer.

The support unit may be boat shaped. The support unit may comprise a flexible seat in the form of a strip attached to the front and rear of the support unit such that when a child or baby is seated therein, their legs are positioned either side of said seat through leg holes.

The support unit may be provided with a removable, inflatable cushion.

The support unit may include a removable cover which in use, provides a base to said support unit on which a baby or child may be seated such that the support unit is in the form of a boat. The removable cover may be attached via a zip. The removable cover may be arranged to be rolled up when not in use.

The support unit may further comprise a harness arranged in use to be

worn by the carer of the child or baby and attached to the inflatable support unit via the connecting member. The connecting member may be attached to said support unit at one of its ends and attached to the harness at its other end.

The support unit may be provided with two connecting members each attached thereto at one of their ends and attached to the harness at their other ends.

The support unit may comprise inflatable material.

The connecting member may be rigid. The connecting member may comprise length adjusting means. The connecting member may comprise a telescopic tube capable of length adjustment. The connecting member may be removable from said inflatable support unit. The connecting member may be attached via clips to said inflatable support unit and via clips to the harness.

The support unit may comprise a harness suitable for a child or baby.

Said harness support unit may comprise a sling. Said harness may comprise a flotation device. The flotation device may comprise a buoyancy aid suitable for wearing around a child's or baby's neck.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- Fig. 1 is an illustration of the swimming aid of the present invention being used by both a child and carer; Fig. 2 is a further illustration of the swimming aid of the present invention being used by both a child and a carer; Fig. 3 is a further illustration of the swimming aid of the present invention being used by both a child and carer; Fig. 4 is an illustrative perspective view of the support unit of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the support unit of the present invention; Figs. 6,7, 8 and 9 are illustrative perspective views of the support unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 10 and 11 are illustrative views of a harness according to the present invention; Fig. 12 is an illustrative view of the next buoyancy aid of the harness shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Referring to Figs. 1,2 and 3, a swimming aid is indicated generally at 10 and comprises an support unit 12 in which a child or baby 14 is supported.

The support unit may be inflatable or inherently buoyant in water The support unit 12 comprises a boat-shaped inflatable upper portion 16 and a seating support 18. The inflatable support unit 12 is attached at its rear to two elongate connecting members 20 and 22 in the form of hollow telescopic tubes.

In use these connecting members 20 and 22 are connected to a harness 24 worn by the child's carer 26. The connecting members 20 and 22 are adjustable in length using a telescopic arrangement and provide rigid support between the support unit 12 and the harness 24 as worn by the child's carer 26. Thus the carer is able to swim without being inhibited by the support unit 12 which supports the child 14.

It is envisaged that the support unit 12 may be attached to the harness 24 as worn by the carer 26 in various locations such that different swimming styles can be adopted by the carer. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the carer 26 is shown swimming in a front crawl and back crawl manner.

The support unit 12 is formed in the general shape of a small boat or dinghy to aid its travel through the water. The support unit 12 can be seen more clearly by referring to Figs. 4-9. The support unit 12 comprises an integral seat 18 manufactured from a strong durable vinyl material. The seat

18 comprises cut-away portions 28 and 30 which form openings 32 and 34 through which a child's legs can extend. The seat 18 is in the form of a sling which in use drops below the water level and acts as a baby seat. A pair of clips 36 and 38 are situated at the rear of the support unit 12. The clips 36 and 38 correspond to similar shaped openings in the telescopic support members 20 and 22 thus providing a push fit arrangement of the connecting members 20 and 22 with the clips 36 and 38. Similar clip attachment means could be provided at the front of the support unit 12 if it is required to use the support unit facing the other direction as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

An inflatable cushion 40 may be provided in the rear 42 of the seat opening 42 and can provide support for a child.

The support unit 12 may also be provided with a removable cover 44 shown in the rolled up position in Fig. 6 and 7 and in the closed position in Fig. 8. The seat cover 44 is again manufactured from durable vinyl or other similar fabrics and is rolled into a handle shape as shown in Fig. 6 when the seat 18 is in use. When the seat is not needed to be used the cover may be rolled out to over the seat 18 via a zip 46. This enables the support unit 12 to be formed into a small boat with an internal base portion 48 formed by the cover 44. Thus the support unit 12 may be used to carry a child or baby therein if it is preferred to keep the child or baby dry. Figs. 8 and 9 show the zip 46 in a semiclosed and semi-open position respectively.

Now referring to Figs. 10,11 and 12, a harness 50 comprises a pair of shoulder straps 52 and 54 attached to a belt 56 which is in turn attached to a crotch support 58. The harness is designed to be worn by the small child or baby when in the water and attached at the shoulder straps 52 and 54 to the connecting members 20 and 22 which are in turn attached to the harness 24 worn by the carer. In this embodiment of the invention the child or baby is able to move more freely within the water without the constraints of the inflatable boat shaped member. An inflatable collar 60 is provided to support the child's head and also provide buoyancy when in the water.

In use the baby or child is seated either within the boat type support unit 12 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 or the harness 50 shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The connecting members 20 and 22 are attached to both the support unit 12 or the harness 50 and also attached to the harness 24 as worn by the carer 26. The rigidity of the connecting members 20,22 allows freedom of swimming movement for the carer 26 enabling the child or baby to be supported and controlled in the water.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A swimming aid comprising a support unit capable of floating in water, the support unit for supporting a baby or small child in water, said support unit comprising a seating area for the baby or child and a connecting member suitable for attaching said support unit to a harness worn by a carer for the baby or child.
2. An aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support unit is boat shaped.
3. An aid as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the support unit comprises a flexible seat in the form of a strip attached to the front and rear of

. I- +], larte the support unit such that when a child or baby is seated therein their legs are positioned either side of said seat through leg holes.
4. An aid as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the support unit is provided by a removable, inflatable cushion.
5. An aid as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the support unit is provided by a buoyant foam or expanded plastic or cork material.
6. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support unit includes a removable cover which in use, provides a base to said support unit on which a child or baby may be seated.
7. An aid as claimed in claim 6 wherein the removable cover is attached through a zip fastener.
8. An aid as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the removable cover is arranged to be rolled up when not in use.
9. An aid as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the support unit comprises a harness arranged in use to be worn by the carer for the child or baby and is attached to the support unit via the connecting member.

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10. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member is attached to the support unit at one of its ends and attached to the harness at its other end.
11. An aid as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the support unit is provided with two connecting members each attached thereto at one of their ends and attached to the harness at their other ends.
12. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support unit comprises inflatable material.
13. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member is rigid.
14. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member comprises length adjusting means.
15. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member comprises a telescopic tube capable of length adjustment.
16. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member is removable from the support unit.
17. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting member is attached via clips to the support unit and via clips to the harness.
18. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support unit comprises a harness suitable for a child or baby.
19. An aid as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the harness comprises a sling.
20. An aid as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the harness comprises a floatation device.

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21. An aid as claimed m claim 20 wherein the floatation device comprises a buoyancy aid suitable for wearing around the neck of a baby for a child.
22. A swimming aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
23. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.