JP3708842B2 - Swimming flippers with multiple interchangeable components - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
【Technical field】
The present invention relates to the field of swim fins. More particularly, the present invention relates to improving swim fins so that the effect of a swimmer's foot and leg strokes on the surrounding water can be varied to achieve various end results, and in particular, swimmers. Related to the means for fixing the flippers to the legs.
[0002]
[Background]
A properly trained person can swim on the water. A swimmer can swim underwater for a short time and for a long time with appropriate equipment. However, it has been conventionally recognized that the human body is not configured to move quickly and easily in water. Most aquatic animals can swim much better and faster than the fastest.
[0003]
In order to improve a person's swimming ability, many inventors conventionally devised and manufactured a flipper attached to a foot during swimming. In general, a flip has a foot holding portion and a relatively large blade extending forward with respect to the human body. Most flippers are made of an elastomeric material such as rubber, polyurethane, or silicone. Recent flippers are formed of a combination of these materials, and some are reinforced with reinforcing fillers such as graphite. Some flippers are designed to mimic the shape of aquatic animals. One example is described in US Pat. No. 2,423,571. The design described in this US patent publication is graceful and has flutes, and the inventor says he tried to mimic the shape of a fish tail fin.
[0004]
Other flippers are designed to take advantage of hydraulic principles. One example is that described in US Pat. No. 4,209,866. This US patent describes a flip that is pivotally attached to a blade that increases swimming efficiency. Another example is that described in US Pat. No. 3,183,529. This arrangement has a series of grooves in the blade that inject water in the swimming direction when the swimmer makes a downstroke. This configuration is said to increase swimming speed.
[0005]
Still other flippers are designed to take advantage of the properties of the newly developed material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,929,206 and 4,857,024 describe flippers having a blade tip curved upward. According to this configuration, when the swimmer performs the downstroke, the blade is expanded, and when the swimmer performs the upstroke, the tip snap action is exhibited. The thrust is increased by the expansion action during the down stroke, and the amount of energy required when the swimmer returns the leg to the original position in preparation for the next down stroke is reduced by the snap action during the up stroke.
[0006]
Many prior arts equate power, resistance and thrust. But resistance is a water hindrance to flipper movement. The higher the resistance, the greater the effort of the swimmer. Thrust is the action of moving a human body by exerting a force on the human body. For swimming flippers, this may be thought of as movement of water up and down the blade and through the blade. Power is the force that moves the flippers and is only given by the swimmer's leg muscles.
[0007]
But to date, the goal of all flip designers has been to design and manufacture flippers that increase the speed of swimmers. They try to achieve this goal by designing flippers that increase thrust. Previously conceived designs include fins with ribs (US Pat. No. 4,820,218), flippers with flexible conduit (US Pat. No. 4,738,645, feet with baffles). Fins (US Pat. No. 4,627,820), flippers with stabilizer (US Pat. No. 3,913,158), flippers with leading edge (US Pat. No. 3,810,269), upward There are flippers with curved wings (US Pat. Nos. 4,929,206 and 4,857,024) and flippers with hydrofoil (US Pat. No. 4,944,703).
[0008]
Although the batten provides some resistance, the area of the flippers and thus the effective thrust is not changed. The ribs are fixed and therefore cannot be changed according to the swimmer's demands or water conditions.
[0009]
The baffles and openings combine the force applied by the swimmer with the force of the water pressure passing through the blade. Such openings do not allow sufficient water flow and therefore do not generate back pressure that increases resistance. The stabilizer and leading edge are fixed and static and do not respond to changes in water pressure or force applied by the swimmer.
[0010]
As far as we know, no one has ever tried to design flippers for other purposes. There are no flips designed to increase resistance and / or thrust according to the swimmer's demands and assist in rehabilitation of persons with physical handicap There are no flippers designed for the swimmer, no flippers designed to compensate for the imbalance between one side of the swimmer's body, and the swimmer in a small pool There are no flips designed to achieve sufficient practice, and no flips designed to warm up muscles in preparation for competition. If a swim fin that meets all these requirements is developed, a great improvement will be made in the design of swim fins, and swimmers who use ordinary swimmers, disabled people, divers, and snorkelers. The long-standing demands of swimmers are met.
[0011]
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, in its simplest form, is a trapezoidal swim fin or sole plate configured to be worn on a swimmer's foot for the purpose of changing the effect of the swimmer's leg stroke. Related. By adding and arranging predetermined components, it is possible to increase the resistance of the flippers for swimming and / or increase the thrust according to the demand of the swimmer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the swim fin has a sole plate having a generally rectangular rear portion and a generally trapezoidal front portion. The sole plate is fairly thin, has a substantially constant thickness, and is substantially flat. A thickness of about 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) works very well. The sole plate must be larger than the largest possible foot in the general population distribution. Children's feet and other objects need to be relatively small. The sole plate has a plurality of attachment holes or grooves, and these attachment holes and grooves are located at a position away from the foot when the sole plate is fixedly attached to the foot. In another embodiment of the present invention, an elongated swimming flip is a basic modular element.
[0012]
A fixing means for fixing the sole plate or the flippers to the sole of the foot of the swimmer is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of arcuate flaps that fit the swimmer's instep are provided integrally with the sole plate or the back of the flippers. These flaps extend upward and forward from the rear of the flipper or sole plate, forming a grooved tunnel with a variable diameter into which the swimmer's foot is inserted. To complete the securing means, there is provided a bag strap attached to the arcuate flap and another set of straps attached to the upper part of the arcuate flap. The strap can adjust the diameter of the tunnel formed between the flaps. The effective length of each pair of straps can be adjusted by any conventional device such as a buckle, hook, or pile fastener so that each pair of straps fits tightly around a foot of any size. It has become.
[0013]
In one of several embodiments, a plurality of sets Vane for guiding water Is provided. Each vane has one attachment hole, and each vane is attached to one of a plurality of holes or grooves provided in the sole plate or the fin by the attachment holes. The vane may take a number of different predetermined forms, such as a linear shape or a curved shape in one or two directions, depending on the final result required. The attachment hole may be provided at one end or the center of the sole plate or the flippers.
[0014]
Attachment means for attaching the vane to the sole plate or flippers are also provided. Such attachment may be accomplished by a number of different standard means, such as by inserts and bolts having nuts and bolts or threads. The insert body may be cast in a hole provided in the vane. The bolt may be appropriately modified so that it can be easily rotated by a finger. The abutting surfaces of the bolts or nuts or both may be knurled so that the vanes do not easily rotate or change position unless required by the user when they are fastened. . As another assembly assisting means, the hole or groove provided in the flipper or sole plate holds the nut so that the nut is not displaced relative to the flipper or sole plate, and the nut rotates. It may be designed to prevent.
[0015]
Sole plates or flippers and flaps and vanes are generally rigid, such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymers, polyurethane polymers, foams, or combinations of these materials, as with typical swim flippers. Or it forms with the material which has flexibility. The sole plate or the flippers and the flap are preferably integrally formed as one member. Various types of vanes can be attached to the sole plate or the upper surface of the swim fin as a basic module similar thereto or at various predetermined positions on the upper and lower surfaces.
[0016]
Other modifications of the embodiments are possible. For example, instead of the two flaps, a single flap connecting the two sides of the sole plate or the flippers for swimming may be provided. This single flap may be formed into a tunnel-like shape in which the diameter through which the swimmer's feet are inserted gradually decreases. Alternatively, a substantially hemispherical sheath-like member may be attached to the central portion of the bottom surface of the sole plate or swim fin. Such a sheath-like member deflects water from the center portion (dead spot) of the lower surface of the sole plate or the flippers for swimming so as to increase the swimming speed. Furthermore, a substantially trapezoidal fin-like extension member may be attached to the front portion of the sole plate. According to this extending member, the shape of the sole plate is made the same as the shape of the conventional flippers, thereby increasing the area and increasing the swimming speed.
[0017]
The basic advantage of the present invention can also be obtained by providing the modular elements in the form of a kit for swimmers who already have swimming flippers and are not willing to purchase new flippers. The kit includes a plurality of sets of vanes, connecting means for the vanes, and a template for positioning when, for example, holes are already drilled in the flippers already owned. A person who already owns a flipper, in order to achieve the desired effect he needs, drills a hole in the already owned flipper as indicated by the template and creates a vane or module Just install the element.
[0018]
One important advantage of the present invention is the vane. The vanes are attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the sole plate of the present invention or the blades of the conventional flippers so as to increase the resistance of the flippers or increase the thrust as required. This allows the swimmer to focus on a specific muscle to increase resistance, or to properly guide the water passing through the flippers or sole plate to increase thrust. For example, if a swimmer has an alternative hip joint, that thigh requires more therapeutic training than other thighs, and such functionality is obtained by selectively placing modular elements to increase water resistance.
[0019]
For an understanding of other objects of the present invention and a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the present invention, refer to the accompanying drawings (the same reference numerals denote the same reference numerals throughout the drawings), and It will be readily apparent by an understanding of the following description of the various forms of doing so.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swim fin of the present invention. The flippers 10 include a sole plate 14 as the main part that defines the basic components to which the various modules are secured, as will become apparent later. The sole plate 14 has a front portion 18, a rear portion 22, an upper surface 26, and a lower surface 30. The sole plate 14 is substantially flat and has a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6.4 mm). The front portion 18 has a substantially trapezoidal shape, and the rear portion 22 has a substantially rectangular shape. The entire sole plate 14 is larger than a swimmer's foot not shown in the figure. Only one swim flip will be described below, but a swimmer uses two swim fins when swimming or training using the present invention.
[0021]
In one preferred embodiment, a pair of arcuate flaps 34 are integrally formed on the upper surface 26 of the rear portion 22. The flap 34 extends upward and forward from the rear portion 22 and may be further curved inward slightly with respect to the center line of the sole plate 14. The flap 34 defines a groove-shaped tunnel 38 that receives the swimmer's feet. The flaps 34 support the sides of the swimmer's feet and define the means for preventing the sole plate 14 from twisting significantly during use.
[0022]
Two pairs of adjustment straps 42 and 46 are provided to adjust the size of the tunnel 38 so that the flippers 10 are fixedly attached to the swimmer's feet. The upper straps 42 are attached to the flaps 34 so that they extend over the swimmer's upper foot. The upper strap 42 adjusts the size or diameter of the tunnel 38 so that the swimmer's feet are firmly held in the tunnel 38 between the arcuate flaps 34. The heel straps 46 are attached to the lower portion of the flap 34 so that they extend around the swimmer's heel. The purpose of the heel strap 46 is to ensure that the feet of the swimmer are held in the tunnel 38 so that the feet of the swimmer do not slip out of the tunnel 38.
[0023]
Each pair of straps 42 and 46 may be secured to each other and adjusted with a buckle 50 or a pile fastener such as a hook or Velcro®. The purpose of the flap 34, straps 42 and 46, buckle 50 or hook or pile fastener is to hold the sole plate 14 in firm contact with the swimmer's feet. From the prior art and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,857,024 and 4,929,206 owned by the inventor, it is clear that other holding structures work equally well. For example, a flap 34 that defines a pocket 39 into which a foot is inserted may be provided in a state of being connected to the rear portion 22 of the sole plate so that the diameter of the pocket gradually decreases. An example of such a modification is shown in FIG. In this case, the upper strap 42 is not necessary.
[0024]
In one preferred embodiment, the sole plate 14 and the flap 34 are integrally formed as one piece. The sole plate 14 and the flap 34 are ideally formed of a flexible material or a rigid material. Conventionally used flip component materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane elastomer, silicone elastomer, or a combination of these materials may be used. Further, these materials may be filled with a reinforcing material such as graphite.
[0025]
The sole plate 14 is provided with a number of spaced apart or aligned holes or grooves 54. Module elements, ie To guide the water The vane 58 is attached by these holes or grooves 54. Vane 58 may be of various shapes, and a right angle vane 58A and winglet 58b are shown in FIG. Each illustrated vane 58 has one mounting hole 62, and the mounting hole 62 may be provided at an arbitrary position of the vane 58.
[0026]
The vanes 58a and 58b are shown attached to the upper surface 26 and the lower surface 30 of the sole plate 14 in a specific position and in a specific direction. However, the sole plate 14 is very effectively used even when the vane 58 is not attached. Further, the vanes 58a and 58b may be attached independently of each other in the position and various directions of the other holes 54 on the upper surface 26 or the lower surface 30 of the sole plate 14 instead of as a pair. The swim fins of the present invention have a variety of interchangeable modular elements and can be assembled in many different forms depending on the swimmer's preference.
[0027]
Figures 2a to 2f show various forms of vanes 58. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the right angle vane 58a and wing 58b vanes have already been described. Three elongated vanes 58c, 58d, 58e and a thick airfoil 58f are also shown. The thick airfoil 58f acts as a pressurization and a decompression like an aircraft wing. Each illustrated vane 58 has one mounting hole 62. The position of the mounting hole 62 is optional, but is determined by the intended function of the vane 58. In the case of right angle vanes 58a and thick airfoils 58f, mounting holes 62 are provided in the center thereof. In the case of other vanes 58b, 58c, 58d, 59e, the mounting holes 62 are provided close to one end thereof. Although several preferred vanes 58 are shown, other forms of vanes 58 with different numbers of holes 62 and different hole locations are possible. The elongated vanes 58c-58e are slightly curved when used on the sole plate, thereby providing various results desirable for swimmers.
[0028]
The vane 58 may also be formed of standard strong and flexible flip construction materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane elastomer, silicone elastomer, foam, and combinations of these materials. Further, these materials may be filled with a reinforcing material such as graphite. The purpose of these vanes 58 is, for example, to guide the water in a specific direction as it passes through the flippers 10.
[0029]
The vane 58 may be attached to the flippers by a variety of standard methods. 3a to 3c are cross-sectional views showing the structure of several typical attachment methods. FIG. 3 a shows a mounting structure using a nut 66 and a bolt 70. When this method is selected, the nut 66 and the bolt 70 are preferably formed of corrosion-resistant nickel-plated or chrome-plated steel. Alternatively, plastic bolts 70 and nuts 66 may be used. Furthermore, the bolt 70 must be provided with a large head portion 74 so that it can be easily assembled by fingers. Also, the abutment surface 78 of the nut 66 or the bolt 70 or both must be knurled so that their clamping force does not decrease during use of the flipper 10. Further, it is preferable to provide a socket 82 having a shape similar to the outer shape of the nut 66 around the hole or groove 54 provided in the sole plate 14 or around the attachment hole 62 of the vane 58. Such a socket provides a simple means of preventing the nut 66 from rotating. FIG. 3 b shows a socket 82 provided on the sole plate 14.
[0030]
The vane may be attached using the insert body 86 having a threaded portion and the bolt 70. The insert body 86 is cast into the vane 58 so as to be accessible from the outside. Also in this case, the bolt 70 is formed of a material having corrosion resistance, and is provided with a large head portion 74 and a contact surface 78 that is knurled. Various other methods of attaching the vane to the sole plate using standard attachment means may be employed.
[0031]
As described above, a single vane 58, a pair of vanes 58, or multiple pairs of vanes 58 may be attached to the sole plate 14 or a conventional flip as described below. Further, the vanes may be attached to the upper surface 26 or the lower surface 30 of the sole plate 14 at various positions and in various directions. 4a to 4c show the sole plate 14 with various vanes 58 mounted in various directions. Although only a few examples are shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, it is clear that many different combinations are possible.
[0032]
Each vane 58 has various effects on the ability of the swimmer. The combination shown in FIG. 4a reduces swimming speed. This combination is useful when the swimmer must practice in a small pool or when the swimmer wants to exercise the thigh muscles preferentially. The combination shown in FIG. 4b concentrates water in the area of the flipper action, thereby increasing the thrust. The direction shown in FIG. C increases the swimmer's stability. Various forms of vanes 58 can be mounted at various locations on the upper surface 26 and lower surface 30 of the sole plate 14 or conventional flippers. This allows swimmers to swim faster, train specific muscles, compensate for physical disparities between the two legs, and swim slower as needed.
[0033]
The basic module unit of the present invention, i.e., the sole plate 14, does not have a wide, substantially claw-like tip or brood of many conventional flippers. Thus, the sole plate 14 cannot generate power like many conventional flippers and is not useful for some purposes such as scuba diving. However, as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, there may be provided a fin extension member 90 connected to the sole plate 14 by a connecting member 94. In FIG. 5a, the extension member 90 is shown connected to the end of the sole plate 14 substantially in the manner of a lap joint. These two members are connected by connecting members 94 spaced apart from each other. FIG. 5 b shows another way of connecting the extension member 90. In this configuration, the extension member 90 is relatively long and extends below the sole plate 14. The extension member 90 is provided with a series of grooves 88 so that the position of the extension member relative to the sole plate 14 can be changed indefinitely. Regardless of the mounting method, the sole plate 14 has all the capabilities of a typical swim flipper, i.e. it can generate enough power for any application, and various vanes 58 can be used as described above. May be mounted. Thus, the present invention achieves a number of objectives.
[0034]
The extension member 90 may take various shapes, some examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 6a-6d. The extension member 90 may be formed so that the pair of sole plates 14 are connected to each other as shown in FIGS. 7a to 7d, thereby forming a monofin that receives both feet of the swimmer. 8a-8g, most flippers currently sold have a foot retainer and a large triangular blade 92 extending forward. The configuration of the present invention may also be provided to a swimmer who already has such a conventional flip and does not intend to purchase a new flip. In this case, a swimmer is provided with a kit which includes a template not shown in the figure, various vanes 58, and an attachment device 94 for attaching the vanes 58. The template determines where the hole 54 should be drilled in the swim fin blade 92 owned by the swimmer. Once the holes are drilled, the swimmer attaches the vanes to the flippers in any desired combination. Figures 8a to 8g illustrate some of the various configurations possible using the modular elements that make up the kit. Swimmers who already have flippers can thus realize some of the advantages of the present invention without purchasing a basic sole plate, ie, a base member.
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 9, another modification is possible according to the present invention. It is known that there is a dead spot in the lower center of any flipper. Therefore, the speed increasing sheath member 98 is also provided as a component of the present invention. The speed increasing sheath member 98 has a shape resembling a streamlined hemisphere, in other words, the sheath member has a teardrop shape. The speed increasing sheath-like member may be of any appropriate size, and may be formed of a high density foam material or solid plastic. Further, the sheath-like member may be filled with a heavy substance such as lead in a dispersed state.
[0036]
The speed increasing sheath-like member 98 may be attached to the sole plate 14 or the upper surface 26 or the lower surface 30 of the existing flippers, preferably using the insert body 86 having the bolt 70 and the threaded portion as described above. When the speed-increasing sheath-like member 98 is used, the swimmer can swim faster by diverting water from the dead spot at the center of the sole plate 14 or other flippers. When the sheath-like member is formed of a foam material, the swimmer's foot is held at a high position in the water. In addition, when the sheath-like member is formed of high-density solid plastic or when lead is filled in a dispersed state, the swimmer's legs will sink, and the swimmer's legs will increase so that the degree of training increases. The burden of increase.
[0037]
FIG. 10 illustrates the flow of water as one embodiment of the swim flipper 10 of the present invention travels underwater, the flow of water being indicated by arrows 60. The flow of water in the direction of the arrow 60 differs for different vanes 58 attached to the sole plate 14 or conventional flippers. The flow of water varies depending on the mounting positions of various vanes 58 on the upper surface 26 and the lower surface 30 and the mounting angles of the vanes. Furthermore, the structure of several vanes 58 as modules increases the freedom of movement in response to forces generated by the flow of water regardless of their mounting position. Each vane 58 deflects relative to the blade 92 or sole plate 14 from its normal rest position, thereby allowing water to flow to the rear of the blade 92 or sole plate 14. This increases the vertical thrust, thereby increasing the efficiency of the flippers.
[0038]
FIG. 11 shows how the vane 58 bends when the swim fin 10 moves underwater. The vane 58 deflects inward and outward as indicated by arrows 64.
[0039]
Figures 12a to 12f show how the swim fin 10 as a whole bends and how the water flows when the swimmer makes up and down strokes. The position shown as position 0 is a substantially neutral position, and neither the sole plate 14 nor the vane 58 is deflected from their normal position. In this position, the swimmer's toe 100 is visible. As the swimmer gradually increases the upstroke as shown at positions -1 and -2, the sole plate 14 deflects upward, the vane 58 deflects inward, and the water is as indicated by arrows 60. It flows inward. Conversely, as the swimmer gradually increases the downstroke as shown at positions 1, 2, and 3, the sole plate 14 deflects downward, the vane 58 deflects outward, and the water is indicated by the arrow 60. It flows outward as if it were.
[0040]
Above Vane The advantage of 58 is that the vanes may be placed in any desired position depending on the surface shape of the conventional flippers or sole plate 14. The vanes may be placed on the sides to form the leading edge, and may be placed on the trailing edge so that the water flow continues beyond the surface area of the blade 92.
[0041]
Any swimming flipper generates turbulence and vortices as the swimmer swims in the water. The position of the vortex and the region of turbulence vary depending on the blade form. Vane 58 may be placed at any position on the conventional swim fin blade 92 or sole plate 14 for the purpose of reducing such vortices and turbulence and reducing eddies and dead spots. Uniform pressure waves that pass through the flippers push swimmers in the water much better than turbulent pressure waves. Thus Vane 58 increases flipper efficiency.
[0042]
The new and improved flip 10 of the present invention is a swimmer's requirement whether to increase resistance to the flow of water through the flip or to provide good and less turbulent water flow. Can answer. Any purpose can be applied to the flipper or sole plate 14 in various ways. To guide the water This is achieved by arranging the vanes 58 appropriately. Conventional flippers do not have such structural flexibility.
[0043]
While the above has described several specific embodiments of a soleplate with flippers for swimming and various module attachments, other modifications and performance improvements may be made within the scope of the present invention. Will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1a is a perspective view of an embodiment similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but showing another fastening means.
FIG. 1b is a perspective view of an embodiment similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 1a, but showing yet another securing means.
2a to 2f are diagrams of the present invention. Vane It is a perspective view which shows some module elements.
FIGS. 3a-3c are partial cross-sectional views of various means for attaching a vane to a soleplate or swim fin of the present invention.
Figures 4a to 4c show several different examples applied to the sole plate of the present invention, for example. To guide the water It is a top view which shows a vane.
FIGS. 5a and 5b are illustrations showing several different flip extension modules applied to the sole plate of the present invention, for example.
6a to 6d are plan views showing some other shapes of the flip extension module.
FIGS. 7a to 7d illustrate the manner in which large flip extension modules of various shapes are secured to a pair of sole plates to form a monofin.
Figures 8a to 8g show several different vane modules applied to other types of conventional swim flippers.
FIG. 9 is a partial view showing a sole plate of the present invention to which a speed increasing sheath-like module is fixed.
FIG. 10 shows the flow of water flowing over the flip as the flip of the present invention moves in the water.
11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10, and when the flip of the present invention moves in the water, FIG. Vane Shows how it bends.
FIGS. 12-12f are front views of the flip of the present invention, showing the deformation of various modules and the flow of water during the vertical stroke of the flip of the present invention.

Claims (36)

A swim fin configured to be attached to a swimmer's sole and foot with a heel,
A sole plate having a front portion, a rear portion, an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the front portion has a trapezoidal shape, the rear portion has a rectangular shape, and the lower surface defines a central portion and a peripheral portion. The sole plate is larger than the foot;
A first arcuate flap that is integral with the rear portion of the sole plate, extends above and forward from the rear portion, and defines a tunnel having a variable diameter into which the foot is inserted;
A certain length attached to the first arcuate flap and adapted to fit around the heel of the foot when the foot is inserted into the tunnel defined by the first arcuate flap Sano-an strap,
Adjusting means for adjusting the length of the heel strap so that when the foot is inserted into the tunnel, the upper surface of the sole plate is held in close contact with the sole of the foot;
The sole plate has a plurality of mounting holes located at positions away from the foot when the foot is inserted into the tunnel;
A vane for guiding have a single mounting hole water,
The mounting holes and swimming flipper comprising a mounting means for mounting said vanes by one of the mounting holes fixedly to said sole plate at least in the sole plate of the vane. The swim fin according to claim 1, wherein the sole plate and the arc-shaped flap are integrally formed of an elastic material as one member. The swim fin according to claim 2, wherein the elastic material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, and polyurethane polymer. The swim fin according to claim 1, wherein the vane is made of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, and polyurethane polymer. The swim fin of claim 1, wherein the swim fin further includes a substantially hemispherical sheath member removably attached to the lower surface of the sole plate, the sheath member being a swim speed. A flipper for swimming, wherein the flipper is configured to deflect water from the central portion of the lower surface of the sole plate in order to increase the height. 6. The swim fin according to claim 5, wherein the sheath-like member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, polyurethane polymer, polymer foam, and lead-filled plastic. A flip fin for swimming. The swim fin of claim 1, wherein the swim fin is removably attached to the front portion of the sole plate to further increase the area of the swim fin and increase swimming power. A flipper for swimming, characterized in that it includes a substantially trapezoidal flipper extension means. The swim fin according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a combination of a nut and a bolt, and the combination of the nut and the bolt is configured to be easily rotated by a hand. Flippers. The swim fin according to claim 8, wherein the bolt has a knurled contact surface. 9. A swim fin according to claim 8, wherein the nut has a knurled contact surface. 9. A swim fin according to claim 8, wherein the nut and the bolt have a knurled contact surface. 9. The swim fin according to claim 8, wherein the swim fin further includes an anti-rotation means incorporated in the sole plate to prevent the nut from rotating. . At a swimming flipper according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a combination of the insert member and the bolt having a threaded portion, the bolt is configured to be easily rotated by hand, said insert body the A flip for swimming characterized by being cast in the mounting hole of the vane . 14. The swim fin according to claim 13, wherein the bolt has a knurled contact surface. 2. A swim fin according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting means is selected from the group consisting of a buckle, a hook, and a pile fastener. The swim flipper of claim 1, wherein the swim flipper further comprises:
A tunnel that is integral with the rear portion of the sole plate, extends upward and forward from the rear portion, and has a variable diameter through which the foot is inserted in cooperation with the first arcuate flap. A second arcuate flap that defines
Adjusting means for adjusting the diameter of the tunnel defined by the first and second arcuate flaps;
A flipper for swimming, characterized in that it contains. The swim fin according to claim 16, wherein the adjusting means is selected from the group consisting of a buckle, a hook, and a pile fastener. In a method to improve the effectiveness of feet with swimmers' soles and heels
(A) A sole plate having a front portion, a rear portion, an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the front portion has a trapezoidal shape, the rear portion has a rectangular shape, and the lower surface defines a central portion and a peripheral portion. And the sole plate is larger than the foot,
A first arcuate flap that is integral with the rear portion of the sole plate, extends above and forward from the rear portion, and defines a tunnel having a variable diameter into which the foot is inserted;
A certain length attached to the first arcuate flap and adapted to fit around the heel of the foot when the foot is inserted into the tunnel defined by the first arcuate flap Sano-an strap,
Adjusting means for adjusting the length of the heel strap so that the sole plate is held in close contact with the sole of the foot when the foot is inserted into the tunnel;
The sole plate has a plurality of mounting holes located at positions away from the foot when the foot is inserted into the tunnel;
Preparing a swim fin including
(B) and have a single mounting hole preparing a vane for guiding the water,
Preparing a mounting means for mounting fixedly the vanes to the sole plate by one of said mounting holes (c) at least of the mounting hole and the sole plate of the vane,
And attaching the vanes by one of the mounting holes in the sole plate (d) at least of the mounting hole and the sole plate of said using said attachment means vane,
(E) inserting the foot into the tunnel;
(F) fixing the sole plate in close contact with the sole of the foot by adjusting the adjusting means for adjusting the length of the heel strap;
Including methods. The method of claim 18, wherein the adjusting means is selected from the group consisting of a buckle, a hook, and a pile fastener. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sole plate and the first arcuate flap are integrally formed as one member with an elastic material. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the elastic material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, polyurethane polymer. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:
(A) A changeable diameter that is integral with the rear portion of the sole plate, extends upward and forward from the rear portion, and is inserted with the foot in cooperation with the first arcuate flap. Providing the swim fin with a second arcuate flap defining a tunnel having
(B) providing adjusting means for adjusting the diameter of the tunnel defined by the first and second arcuate flaps on the swim fin;
A method characterized by comprising. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the adjusting means is selected from the group consisting of a buckle, a hook, and a pile fastener. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sole plate and the first and second arcuate flaps are integrally formed as one member with an elastic material. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the elastic material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, polyurethane polymer. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the vane is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, polyurethane polymer. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises a substantially hemispherical sheath member removably attached to the lower surface of the sole plate, the lower surface of the sole plate for increasing swimming speed. Providing a sheath-like member configured to divert water away from the central portion. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the sheath member is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone polymer, polyurethane polymer, polymer foam, and lead-filled plastic. And how to. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is further configured to be removably attached to the front portion of the sole plate to increase the swim fin area and increase swimming power. Providing a flippers extending means. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the attachment means is a nut and bolt combination, the nut and bolt combination being configured to be easily rotated by hand. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the bolt has a knurled abutment surface. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the nut has a knurled abutment surface. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the nut and the bolt have a knurled abutment surface. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the swim fin further includes anti-rotation means incorporated into the sole plate to prevent the nut from rotating. The method according to claim 18, wherein the fixing means is a combination of an insert body having a threaded portion and a bolt, and the bolt is configured to be easily rotated by hand, and the insert body is the one of the vanes . A method characterized by being cast in the mounting hole. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the bolt has a knurled abutment surface.

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