JP2006182346A - Life jacket with audio device and method of use - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a life jacket incorporating an audio reproducing device to allow a water sport enthusiast to listen to audio reproduction while he/she is engaged in various water activities. <P>SOLUTION: This life jacket 1 has a floating property structure for letting a wearer of the life jacket float on the water and is provided with the waterproof audio reproducing device attached to the life jacket 1 and a waterproof earphone 13 connected with the audio reproducing device. The audio reproducing device reproduces audio sound for the wearer of the life jacket through the earphone 13 while the wearer of the life jacket wears the life jacket 1. A pocket 9 or a holder for incorporating the audio reproducing device may be provided in the life jacket 1. One lead wire or more attached to the audio reproducing device may be incorporated in the life jacket 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an improved life jacket, and more particularly, to a life jacket that allows a wearer to listen to audio such as music when engaging in water-related activities by integrating a sound reproduction device. This application claims priority in 35 USC 119 (e), based on US Provisional Application No. 60 / 625,104, dated November 5, 2004.

In the prior art, it is well known to incorporate various signaling devices into safety or life jackets. With these devices, the wearer of the life jacket can send a signal in the event of distress or in need of help.
These life jackets can be distinguished from other clothing worn by people in that they incorporate a buoyant material, a buoyant structure, or an inflatable body. With such a life jacket having an additional material or structure, the wearer can protect life even in water.

  In addition, it is known to incorporate a sound reproduction device in clothing different from a life jacket. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a jacket in which an acoustic component is integrally provided in a jacket pocket and a reproduction speaker is integrally provided on a shoulder portion of the jacket.

United States Patent No. 4,539,700 (inventor: Sato)

By the way, in water sports such as water skiing, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, and sailing, it is common practice to use a life jacket while performing the activity.
However, with these types of vests, sports enthusiasts cannot expect to hear music or other audio during their activities. Under such circumstances, there has been a need for improvement in the field of sports activities.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and provides a life jacket with a built-in sound reproducing device, and is intended to enable water sports enthusiasts to listen to audio reproduction while engaged in various water activities. And

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved life jacket that can be used in water-related activities, particularly in water sports activities.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for performing water-related activities such as sports while listening to audio reproduction.
Other objects and effects will be apparent from the contents of this specification.

[First invention]
The life jacket of the first invention for solving the above problems is as follows:
In a life jacket having a buoyant structure for a life jacket wearer to float in water,
A waterproof sound reproducing device attached to the life jacket;
With waterproof earphones connected to this sound reproduction device,
The sound reproducing device reproduces sound to the life jacket wearer via the earphone while the life jacket wearer wears the life jacket.
[Second invention]
The life jacket of the second invention is the life jacket of the first invention, and has a pocket for housing the sound reproducing device.
[Third invention]
The life jacket of the third invention is the life jacket of the first invention, characterized in that the pocket is on the front side, the back side or the inside of the life jacket.
[Fourth Invention]
A life jacket according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the life jacket according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the pocket is in the vicinity of a collar opening of the life jacket.
[Fifth Invention]
The life jacket of the fifth invention is the life jacket of the first invention, and has a holder that can be attached to a strap or other belt-like member attached to the life jacket, and the sound reproducing device is accommodated in the holder. It is characterized by that.
[Sixth Invention]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a life jacket having a lead wire for connecting the sound reproducing device and the earphone, and all or a part of the lead wire is passed through the life jacket.
[Seventh Invention]
The life jacket of the seventh invention is characterized in that the components of the sound reproducing device are waterproof.
[Eighth Invention]
A life jacket according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the life jacket according to the first aspect, wherein the sound reproducing device includes a waterproof housing or a waterproof case that houses the sound reproducing device.
[Ninth Invention]
The method of using the life jacket of the ninth invention is a method of using the life jacket when a participant in a water activity wears a life jacket for safety purposes and engages in a water activity,
The participant wears a life jacket and listens to sound reproduction from a waterproof sound reproducing device built in the life jacket while wearing the life jacket.
[Tenth Invention]
The life jacket usage method of the tenth invention is the life jacket usage method of the ninth invention, wherein the sound reproduction device is attached to the life jacket and connected to a waterproof earphone, A life vest wearer listens to reproduced sound using the waterproof earphone.
[11th invention]
The life jacket usage method of the eleventh aspect of the invention is the life jacket usage method of the ninth invention, characterized in that the life jacket wearer floats in water using the underwater floating device or the life jacket. To do.
[Twelfth Invention]
The life jacket of the twelfth aspect of the invention is a method of using the life jacket of the twelfth aspect of the invention. It is one of these.
[13th invention]
The life jacket of the thirteenth aspect of the invention is a life jacket in which the life jacket wearer can listen to the sound while wearing the life jacket,
Means to float the life jacket wearer in the water,
The life jacket includes a means for incorporating a sound reproduction device.
[14th invention]
A life jacket according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the life jacket according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the means for incorporating a sound reproducing device in the life jacket is any one of the following A to D.
A. A pocket provided in the life jacket,
B. A holder attached to the life jacket,
C. A pocket attached to the life jacket, the pocket having a part of a lead wire passing through the life jacket;
D. A holder attached to the life jacket, the holder having a part of a lead wire passing through the life jacket.
[15th invention]
A life jacket according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the life jacket according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, and is characterized in that the lead wire of the sound reproducing device is built inside the life jacket.
[16th invention]
The life jacket of the sixteenth invention is the life jacket of the thirteenth invention, and the means for floating the life jacket wearer in water is a single or a plurality of buoyant materials, inflatable bodies, or a combination thereof. It is characterized by.
[17th invention]
A life jacket according to a seventeenth aspect is the life jacket according to the thirteenth aspect, characterized by having a connector that can be connected to a different type of sound reproducing device or a different type of earphone at the end of the lead wire.
[18th invention]
A life jacket according to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the life jacket according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, comprising an earphone connected to the lead wire.

  The present invention provides an improved vest in the field of life jackets with a buoyant structure and a device that allows the life vest wearer to float in water. And the sound reproduction apparatus which gave the waterproofing process is attached to the life jacket of this invention. This sound reproduction device is suitable for connection with a waterproof earphone or other similar sound generation device, so that the life jacket wearer can play sound while wearing the life jacket. I can listen.

In the life jacket of the present invention, the sound reproducing device may be incorporated into the life jacket by any method. As an example, a pocket for storing the sound reproduction device in the life jacket can be provided. The pocket may be provided in any part of the jacket, and is preferably provided on the front side (front side), back side (back side), or inside (inner side) of the jacket.
As another preferred method, the pocket may be provided on the collar of the life jacket. In addition to attaching the sound reproducing device to the jacket itself, it is also possible to attach it to a strap or other band-like member (such as a belt-like member) connected to the jacket through a holder.

In the life jacket of the present invention, any type of the sound reproduction device can be used as long as it is suitable for use in a wet environment or an environment with water.
In addition, the life jacket of the present invention may use an earphone that is connected to a sound reproducing device by a lead wire. In addition to the type in which the lead wire is separated from the life jacket, at least a part of the lead wire may be integrated with the material of the life jacket, or may be attached to the surface of the life jacket and held.

  The sound reproducing device may be a waterproof type for each of its constituent parts, or may be an acoustic unit body having a waterproof housing as another type, or a housing provided with a housing stored in a waterproof case. It is also possible to make it.

A life vest wearer usually wears a life vest for safety purposes. However, according to the method of using the life vest of the present invention, the way of engaging in water activities is inevitably improved. That is, while wearing the life jacket, the water activities worker can listen to the sound reproduction from the sound device built in the life jacket.
Any type of sound reproducing device can be used, but the waterproof type described above may be used. Similarly, any type of method can be used for attaching the sound reproducing device to the life jacket, but the attaching method using the pockets and straps described above is desirable. In addition, the sound reproduction device may be provided with a waterproof earphone so that a water activity worker can use it.

Water activities can be any activity related to water, such as using a life jacket, simply floating in the water, or using a buoyancy tool while wearing a life jacket. It may be floating on the water.
As a buoyancy tool for floating on the water, a wakeboard, a water ski, a kite board, a surf board, a wind serve board, a boogie board, a raft, etc. can be used.

In the present invention, by adopting a waterproof sound reproduction device or by incorporating a sound reproduction device stored for the purpose of waterproofing in the life jacket, the wearer of the life jacket can engage in water-related activities. While engaged, you can listen to the audio. Water-related activities can be any activities that need to wear life jackets.
Water-related activities include wakeboarding, boating, rafting, surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, kiteboarding, bodyboarding, etc. While listening to the audio, the activity can be substantially physical, such as a wakeboard, or simply sitting in a canoe, boat, or other floating device (equipment), or This includes activities that float in water before and after water activities that require life jackets.
As described above, according to the present invention, by wearing a life jacket with a sound reproducing device, it is possible to provide a new form of activity on the water where a voice can be heard during water-related activities.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a life jacket suitable for incorporating a sound reproduction device can be devised. In this case, only a lead wire that can be connected to the sound reproducing device, or a life jacket having a lead wire and an earphone can be considered.
According to such a life jacket, it is possible to sell the life jacket with the lead wire or the lead wire and the earphone. In addition, the user can attach the own sound reproduction device to the life jacket. As another option, it is also possible to mount a connector on the lead wire and mount a multi-connector function for connecting to a different type of sound reproduction device or earphone.

As described above, a plurality of methods for incorporating a sound reproducing device in the life jacket can be considered.
As a first method, there is a method of providing a pocket on the jacket. It is important that the location of the pocket is such that it does not interfere with the function of the jacket as much as possible and does not interfere with the wearer's movements while using the jacket. The pockets are easy to see and can be used from the inside or outside of the jacket, and it is recommended that the pockets be sealed such as planar fasteners, zippers and buttons. In addition, the pocket may be structured so that the operation buttons of the sound device can be accessed by providing a through-hole or a transparent window in the jacket while the sound device is stored in the pocket. Is possible.

As a second method, the sound reproducing device can be housed in a strap attached to the jacket, a holder clipped or attached to other parts, or a sleeve. In the case of the sound reproducing device in this embodiment, the earphone line may be arranged so as to protrude toward the bottom of the jacket and to reach the earphone through the inner side of the jacket. In this way, the wiring does not get in the way of the wearer while wearing the jacket.
The holder in the present invention may be of any type as long as it supports the sound reproducing device and can be attached to the jacket. The wearing method should not interfere with the function of the jacket itself, or the wearer's comfort and activities.

  A lead wire (cable) from a sound reproducing device (for example, an MP3 player) to an earphone may be incorporated in the life jacket. In such an assembling method, the lead wire may be held on the inner or outer surface of the jacket with a loop-shaped stopper, or the lead wire may be completely embedded in the jacket.

  The lead wire is fixed with the above-mentioned stoppers in the manufacturing process of the jacket, or wired inside the jacket, and each end of the lead wire is appropriately positioned around the sound device unit (appropriate for connecting to the unit). ) And the head side of the vest user (connected to the earphone). This makes it possible to permanently integrate the acoustic device and the lead wire with the jacket.

In the configuration in which the lead wire is embedded inside the life jacket, it is desirable that the lead wire is taken out from an opening (may be a pocket) near the collar. According to such a configuration, the lead wire does not get in the way around the jacket, and the lead wire extends from the vicinity of the neck to the vicinity of the ear at almost the shortest distance. However, it is possible to comfortably enjoy the playback sound of the sound playback device.
Furthermore, in addition to the configuration in which the lead wire is taken out from the opening near the collar as described above, the lifesaving can be achieved by taking out the lead wire from the opening near the front side or the lower side of the life jacket and connecting it to the sound reproducing device. The vest wearer can easily operate the sound reproducing device, and the life vest can be used more comfortably.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a typical life jacket 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a strap 7 is provided on the front surface 5 of the body portion 3. The acoustic unit (not shown) is stored in the pocket 9.

  A single lead wire 11 integrated with the lead wires 12 and 12 extends from the pocket 9 to the acoustic unit. The single lead wire 11 branches into two lead wires 12, and each end thereof is connected to the earphone 13. In the present embodiment, the earphones 13 and 13 are shown separately on the left and right, but the earphones 13 and 13 can be integrally connected as a structure forming a headphone assembly.

  The life jacket 1 is composed of, for example, a combination of a single or a plurality of buoyant materials, inflatable bodies (for example, those that can be injected with air) and the like. That is, the life jacket 1 has means for floating the life jacket wearer on the water surface.

The pocket 9 is a means for incorporating the sound reproducing device in the jacket. By holding the sound reproducing device in the pocket 9, it becomes possible to listen to sound reproduction while wearing the jacket.
As another means for incorporating the sound reproducing device in the jacket, a holder may be attached to a part of the jacket. In this case, one or more lead wires attached to the sound reproducing device may be put in the jacket so that the lead wires extend from a part of the life jacket and further come out of the jacket and connect to the earphone. Moreover, you may make it possible to hold | maintain a lead wire to the surface vicinity of a jacket using the winding | winding means etc. which wind up the lead wire extended between an audio reproducing apparatus and an earphone in loop shape.

Next, another embodiment (second embodiment) will be described.
FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which a pocket 17 is provided on the back surface 15 of the body-resistant portion 3. The acoustic unit 19 housed in the pocket 17 is partially shown. This embodiment shows the state where the lead wire taken out from the life jacket 1 is slack, like the embodiment of FIG.
In this embodiment as well, a winding means may be used so as not to loosen the lead wire.

FIG. 3 shows another alternative embodiment (third embodiment) in which an acoustic unit (not shown) is accommodated in the holder 21. The holder 21 is attached to the belt-shaped strap 7.
A lid is provided at the center of the holder 21, and an opening (not shown) appears when the lid is opened. The lid is held on the strap 7 using the auxiliary strap 25. The auxiliary strap 25 is attached to the holder 21 using a planar fastener (which is detachable by a hook part and a loop part) or a similar member.

In this embodiment, the lead wire 11 bundled with two wires comes out of the holder 21 and enters the opening 27 of the trunk portion 3 of the jacket. The lead wire 11 extends between the front and back layers of the jacket trunk, and is divided into two branch lines 12, 12, and each branch line 12, 12 is an inner surface near the collar opening of the trunk portion 3. To the opening 29.
Of course, if necessary, the lead wire 11 may pass through the inside of the life jacket 1 and exit from one opening.
The holder 21 can also be attached to a portion such as a sleeve. In this case, the strap 7 may be passed through the sleeve before the clip 23 is connected. The holder 21 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 as long as it can accommodate the acoustic unit, and may be of any type.

FIG. 4 shows the fourth embodiment, in which the lead wire 11 and the insertion opening 27 (29) are shown in more detail.
In this embodiment, the end of the lead wire 11 is connected to the sound reproduction connector 40 and further connected to the adapter 41. Accordingly, even when the connection socket of the sound reproduction device does not correspond to the male end portion 43 of the connector 40, the sound reproduction device can be connected to the connector 40.
By providing the lead wire 11 (lead wire 12 if necessary) in this way, the lead wire 11 is held near the outlet, is less likely to be damaged, the earphone is stabilized near the head, and the sound is easily heard. Will be able to.

  As another embodiment, other wiring methods of the lead wire 11 (the lead wire 12 as necessary) are also conceivable. For example, when a lead wire is extended between the acoustic unit and the earphone, the lead wire may be run on the outer surface of the jacket trunk. In this case, by providing means (retaining ring, U-shaped hook, etc.) for passing the lead wire formed in a loop shape on the outer surface of the jacket, the lead wire passes through the loop-shaped passage means and is firmly attached to the outer surface of the jacket. It becomes fixed to.

  As another embodiment, the sound reproduction device may be able to wirelessly send audio to a receiver attached to the earphone. In this case, use of the lead wire between the sound reproducing device and the earphone can be omitted. The receiver can be built in the earphone body, but can also be attached to other parts such as the base of the earphone. In these cases, the earphone and the receiver unit are interconnected by separate leads.

FIG. 5 shows another alternative embodiment (fifth embodiment). In this embodiment, a pocket 31 is formed on the surface of the jacket body 3. The pocket 31 is provided with an opening 33 that allows the control button 35 of the sound reproducing device 19 to be seen.
It is also possible to make the opening 33 a transparent opening window so that the wearer can see the control button and operate from the opening window. A plurality of openings or windows may be arranged so that a plurality of control buttons of the sound unit can be arranged at various positions. In FIG. 5, a connector 40 used for the sound reproduction unit 19 is also illustrated.

The life jackets used in the present invention may be of any type that can be used on the water at a US Coast Guard approved US Coast Guard school, or otherwise.
In the meaning of the term jacket in the present invention, for example, a vest type clothing without sleeves, a jacket type clothing with sleeves, or other types of life vests, clothing suitable for life jackets As such, a vest, jacket, or other garment having the function of assisting in water activities is included.
The life jacket has a floating material or a structure that allows the wearer of the life jacket to float in the water in one or a plurality of buoyant materials, inflatable bodies (for example, inflatable bodies), or a combination thereof.

As the sound reproducing device, any type of device that is waterproof and can reproduce sound may be used. For example, a device that can store digital sound, a cassette, or a CD format. In other words, it may be an acoustic player that can store audio in a tape or magnetic format, such as a Walkman (registered trademark) type player.
The size of the sound reproducing device must be such that it does not interfere with the function as a life jacket. For this purpose, a solid-state storage device (flash memory or the like) is used rather than a large-sized sound reproduction device such as an mp3 player such as an Apple iPod (registered trademark) using a mechanical hard drive that stores digital audio. It is preferable to use a small-sized sound reproducing device capable of storing the sound.

  Moreover, in order to avoid the problem of sound skipping that is common in devices using a mechanical system, a sound reproducing device using a solid-state storage device is more preferable. In addition, if the sound playback device is equipped with a waterproof video playback function, life jacket wearers will be able to view images with or without audio as needed, as well as listening to audio. Become.

Since the sound reproducing device of the present invention is used in water-related activities, it is necessary to provide the sound reproducing device with a waterproof function. Mp3 devices with waterproof functions are currently manufactured and sold by various companies, and some companies' devices include Apple iPod (registered trademark), Mini-iPod (registered trademark), and I-river mp3 (registered trademark) devices. In some cases, a waterproof case that can be used for such a commercially available mp3 device is used.
Moreover, you may use the related parts, such as a waterproofing haze developed originally, or a waterproof earphone and a connection part. For details, reference may be made to US Pat. No. 6,614,722 (inventor: Polanyi et al.), Which is part of this specification as a whole.

As described above, in order to achieve each object of the present invention, as a best mode, an improvement in a life jacket having a sound reproduction function that enables the wearer to listen to sound while engaging in water-related activities. Disclosed the mold.
Of course, various changes, improvements, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The present invention is limited to the content of the appended claims.

1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention and is a front view of a life jacket. FIG. The 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a partial rear view of a life jacket. The 3rd Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a front view which shows the state with which the sound reproducing device was attached to the strap of the life jacket. The 4th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is the elements on larger scale which show the state in which the lead wire was connected to the connector. The 5th Embodiment of this invention is shown and it is a schematic block diagram which shows the pocket for life jackets.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Life jacket 5 Front 7 Strap 9 Opening part 11 Lead wire 12 Lead wire 13 Earphone 17 Pocket 19 Sound reproduction apparatus 21 Holder 27 Opening part 29 Opening part

Claims (18)

In a life jacket having a buoyant structure for a life jacket wearer to float in water,
A waterproof sound reproducing device attached to the life jacket;
With waterproof earphones connected to this sound reproduction device,
While the life jacket wearer wears the life jacket, the sound reproduction device reproduces sound to the life jacket wearer via the earphone.   The life jacket according to claim 1, further comprising a pocket for storing the sound reproducing device.   The life jacket according to claim 2, wherein the pocket is on the front side, the back side or the inside of the life jacket.   The life jacket according to claim 3, wherein the pocket is in the vicinity of a collar opening of the life jacket.   The life jacket according to claim 1, further comprising a holder that can be attached to a strap or other belt-like member attached to the life jacket, and in which the sound reproducing device is accommodated.   The life jacket according to claim 1, further comprising a lead wire for connecting the sound reproducing device and the earphone, wherein all or a part of the lead wire is passed through the life jacket. .   The life jacket according to claim 1, wherein the components of the sound reproducing device are waterproof. The life jacket according to claim 1, wherein the sound reproducing device includes a waterproof housing or a waterproof case for housing the sound reproducing device.
The method of using the life jacket of the present invention is a method of using the life jacket when a participant in water activities wears a life jacket for safety purposes and engages in water activities,
A method for using a life jacket, wherein the participant wears a life jacket and listens to sound reproduction from a waterproof sound reproduction device built in the life jacket while wearing the life jacket.   10. The method for using a life jacket according to claim 9, wherein the sound reproducing device is attached to the life jacket and connected to a waterproof earphone, and the life jacket wearer uses the waterproof earphone. How to use a life jacket to listen to the playback sound.   The method for using a life jacket according to claim 9, wherein the life jacket wearer floats in water using the underwater floating device or the life jacket.   The life jacket according to claim 9, wherein the underwater floating device is one of wakeboard, water ski, kiteboard, surfboard, windsurfboard, boogie board, raft, boat and the like. How to use. A life jacket that allows the wearer to listen to the sound while wearing the life jacket,
Means to float the life jacket wearer in the water,
A life jacket comprising: means for incorporating a sound reproduction device in the life jacket. 14. The life jacket according to claim 13, wherein the means for incorporating a sound reproducing device in the life jacket is any one of the following A to D.
A. A pocket provided in the life jacket,
B. A holder attached to the life jacket,
C. A pocket attached to the life jacket, the pocket having a part of a lead wire passing through the life jacket;
D. A holder attached to the life jacket, the holder having a part of a lead wire passing through the life jacket.   The life jacket according to claim 13, wherein the lead wire of the sound reproducing device is built in the life jacket.   14. The life jacket according to claim 13, wherein the means for floating the life jacket wearer in water is a single or a plurality of buoyant materials, inflatable bodies, or a combination thereof.   The life jacket according to claim 13, wherein the lead wire has a connector that can be connected to a different type of sound reproducing device or a different type of earphone at the end of the lead wire. The life jacket according to claim 15, further comprising an earphone connected to the lead wire.

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