TW202419339A - Buoyancy adjustment jacket - Google Patents

Abstract

[Topic] Provide a buoyancy adjustment jacket that can follow the body movements of a diver and provide a stable fit. [Solution] The back frame (10) of the buoyancy adjustment jacket (1) comprises: shoulder straps (11), and a back frame body (20) located opposite to the back of the diver; and has: a size adjustment means that can change the back length (L1) of the back frame body (20) in multiple stages.

Description

Buoyancy adjustment jacket

The present invention relates to a buoyancy adjusting jacket (BC jacket) having a buoyancy adjusting function.

Previously, buoyancy adjustment jackets used for diving were known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a buoyancy adjustment device that can easily adjust the position of a waist belt in the vertical direction. [Prior Technical Document] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-211484

[The problem that the invention wants to solve]

The buoyancy adjustment device disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises: a jacket; a back frame mounted on the inner back of the jacket; shoulder straps with adjustable length extending downward from the shoulders of the jacket; and a waist belt with adjustable length extending toward the waist of the jacket.

In the buoyancy adjustment device, the end of the waist belt is mounted to the back frame via a connecting plate, and the position of the waist belt in the up-and-down direction of the back frame can be adjusted in two stages by selecting the position of the fixing portion that fixes the connecting plate.

When wearing it, the length of the shoulder straps can be adjusted according to the diver's body size, and the position of the waist belt can be adjusted up and down to fit the waist. However, for divers with height differences, since the back length of the backpack is fixed, it is not possible to achieve the best fit to match the height difference.

In addition, in order to make the back frame with a back length that does not fit the body size fit the body closely, once the shoulder straps are pulled up, the waist belt will also move up and be arranged above the abdomen. Even if the position of the waist belt can be adjusted in two stages, it is still impossible to control the waist belt in the optimal position in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, if the waist belt is placed around the diver's waist with the waist fitting being a priority, the shoulder straps cannot be pulled up, and the backrest may not fit the diver's back closely. In particular, if the back length of the backrest is not suitable for the body size, when the diver bends forward, the backrest will move away from the diver's shoulders, creating a gap and failing to achieve a sufficiently close fit.

Therefore, the subject of the present invention is to provide a buoyancy adjustment jacket that can follow the body movements of a diver and provide a stable fit. [Means for solving the subject]

The present invention relates to a buoyancy adjustment jacket having an up-down direction, a width direction and a front-back direction intersecting each other and having a back frame required for fixing a gas cylinder.

The buoyancy adjustment jacket of the present invention is characterized in that the backpack comprises shoulder straps and a backpack body located opposite to the back of the diver; and is provided with a size adjustment means for changing the back length of the backpack body in multiple stages.

The buoyancy adjustment jacket described in the present invention includes the following ideal implementation forms. (1) It also has: a waist tightening means, which has a waist belt and a waist cushion, the waist tightening means and the backpack body are independent of each other, and the waist tightening means can be moved in the above-mentioned up and down direction by a sliding mechanism. (2) The backpack body has: a back plate and a central plate located on the front side of the back plate; the back plate and the central plate can be connected to each other in a separable manner. (3) On both sides of the backpack body, the side plates connected to the shoulder straps are installed to be pivotable in the above-mentioned front and rear directions. (4) The side plates have a counterweight means. [Effect of the invention]

According to the buoyancy adjustment jacket of the present invention, since it has a size adjustment means for changing the back length of the back frame body in multiple stages, the back length of the back frame body can be changed to the size that best suits the height of the diver, thereby allowing the back frame body to be firmly attached to the body during diving, giving a sufficient fit.

＜First implementation form＞

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 of the present invention comprises: a vest 3 having a vertical direction Y, a width direction X, and a front-rear direction Z, and front and rear surfaces 1a and 1b intersecting each other, which can supply air from a gas cylinder 2 and cover the back and abdomen of a diver; a gas cylinder back frame (back frame) 10 arranged on the inner surface of the vest 3 and extending in the vertical direction Y; a pair of shoulder straps 11 extending from the upper end of the back frame 10; and a pair of waist belts 12 extending from the lower end of the back frame 10 toward the waist of the diver. The shoulder strap 11 has a shoulder pad 11a that abuts against the diver's shoulder. In addition, the front 1a of the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 is also called the front side, and the rear 1b is also called the back side.

The gas cylinder 2 is located on the outside of the back of the vest 3 and is fixed to the back frame 10 through a gas cylinder strap 14. The gas cylinder strap 14 can be adjusted in length by a buckle 13 according to the size of the gas cylinder 2.

The back frame 10 comprises: a back frame body 20 located on the inner surface of the back of the vest 3, a pair of side panels 30 pivotally mounted on the back frame body 20, and a waist tightening means 40 located on the front of the lower side portion of the back frame body 20.

The back frame body 20 includes a back plate 50 and a central plate 60 located in front of the back plate 50. The back plate 50 and the central plate 60 are connected to each other by a connecting means such as a connecting member 70 so as to be detachable from each other.

Referring to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the connecting member 70 is located on the rear outer side of the vest 3 when the back plate 50 and the center plate 60 are connected, and the cylinder strap 14 is inserted into the strap insertion hole 71 of the connecting member 70. The connecting member 70 also has: an insertion hole 72 located at the top; and a clamping claw 73 located at the front, that is, on the side opposite to the back plate 50, with the tail end bent upward. The vest 3 is formed with: an opening for the screw inserted into the insertion hole 72 of the connecting member 70 to pass through, and an opening for the clamping claw 73 to pass through.

The back plate 50 has a head portion 51 and a support plate portion 52 extending downward from the head portion 51. The head portion 51 has an insertion hole 51a for fixing the shoulder strap 11 in an inserted state. The front side of the support plate portion 52 has side ribs 54 extending in the vertical direction Y at the side edges, a central protrusion 55 located in the center of the width direction X, and a pair of engagement grooves 57 extending in the vertical direction Y between the side ribs 54 and the central protrusion 55.

The support plate portion 52 includes: a plurality of central insertion holes 58 arranged at predetermined intervals in the central protrusion 55 in the vertical direction Y, and a plurality of side insertion holes 59 arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction Y in the engagement groove 57. Below the side insertion holes 59, a rectangular first engagement hole 75 is located there. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the central insertion holes 58 are arranged in a row of seven from the top to the bottom, and are marked with symbols 58a to 58g in sequence, and the side insertion holes 59 are marked with symbols 59a for the upper side insertion holes and 59b for the lower side insertion holes.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the center plate 60 has a pair of strap insertion holes 61 located on both sides for inserting the mounting strap 22, and a first cylindrical connecting portion 62 located on both side edges for forming a hinge mechanism for pivotably connecting the side plate 30. Center insertion holes 63a and 63b are located at the center of the width direction X of the center plate 60. A pair of protrusions 68a and 68b are located on the rear surface of the center plate 60 between the center insertion holes 63a and 63b in the vertical direction Y.

A pair of engaging protrusions 64 extending in the vertical direction Y are located on the rear surface of the center plate 60. The engaging protrusions 64 have a plurality of side insertion holes 65a, 65b and rectangular second engaging holes 76a, 76b arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction Y and penetrating the center plate 60. Nuts with spiral grooves for screwing the screws are arranged inside the side insertion holes 65b.

The mounting belt 22 is made of a cloth coated with polyurethane resin, and its two ends are inserted into the belt insertion hole 61. It is detachably mounted on the central plate 60 by fastening means that connects the insertion holes at the two ends with the openings at the back of the central plate 60.

The pair of side plates 30 includes a rear end portion 31, a base end portion 32 fixed to the central plate 60, a belt insertion hole 31a for inserting the connecting belt 16 at the rear end portion 31, and a cylindrical second connecting portion 33 located on the side of the base end portion 32. The central plate 60 and the side plates 30 are connected to each other through a connecting pin (pivot) 18 passing through them in a state where the first connecting portion 62 and the second connecting portion 33 overlap and are combined in the vertical direction Y.

The pair of side panels 30 are mounted on the central panel 60 by the hinge mechanism formed by the above structure so as to be pivotable in the front-rear direction Z. The central panel 60 has a shape of being bent as a whole with both sides extending toward the body of the wearer, and the hinge mechanisms of the side panels 30 located on both sides of the central panel 60 can be easily pivoted inward, that is, toward the body of the diver. Furthermore, when the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 is not in use, the side panels 30 can be folded to become a compact state for storage and carrying.

At the rear end of the connecting belt 16 , a male portion of a buckle with a locking claw is located there. By locking the male portion to the female portion located on the shoulder strap 11 , the shoulder strap 11 will be connected to the side panel 30 through the connecting belt 16 .

The waist tightening means 40 comprises: a waist cushion 41 that abuts against the waist of the diver, and a pair of waist belts 12 extending from both side edges of the waist cushion 41.

The waist belt 12 is detachably connected to each other by connecting means 12a and 12b of Velcro at the tail ends thereof. In addition, the ends of the waist belt 12 are folded back through the ring-shaped hooks at the two sides of the waist cushion 41, and the folded back and mutually facing parts are detachably connected to each other by Velcro means, so that the length of the waist belt 12 can be adjusted.

The lumbar cushion 41 includes a cushion member 42 formed by covering a resilient material such as polyurethane with a mesh fabric, and a thin plate-shaped back panel portion 43 mounted on the rear of the cushion member 42.

The back panel 43 is not easily deformed like a cushion member, but is formed of ABS resin, polypropylene resin, nylon resin, hard synthetic rubber, etc., and has flexibility to a certain extent that it can be slightly deformed along the waist of the diver. An annular sliding groove (insertion portion) 45 opening in the vertical direction Y for inserting the mounting belt 22 is arranged behind the back panel 43.

Referring to Fig. 6, a pair of engaging grooves 57 of the back plate 50 are engaged with a pair of engaging protrusions 64 of the central plate 60, and the central insertion hole 58 of the support plate portion 52 of the back plate 50 and the central insertion hole 63a of the central plate 60 are connected to each other in the front-rear direction Z, and are fastened by the fastening means passing through them. Here, the fastening means used on the mounting belt 22 and the back frame body 20 is composed of a support ring and a pin inserted into the support ring. By inserting the pin into the insertion hole of the support ring, the leg of the support ring is elastically deformed and opened, so that the overlapping components can be stably fastened.

In addition, when the vest 3 is interposed between the connecting structure 70 and the back plate 50, the through holes 59a~59c on both sides of the support plate portion 52 and the through holes 65a, 65b on both sides of the central plate 60 connected to each other in the front-rear direction Z will be locked by the screws through the opening formed in the vest 3 and inserted into the through hole 72.

Furthermore, the engaging claw 73 of the connecting member 70 is inserted into and engaged with the first engaging hole 75 of the back plate 50 and the second engaging holes 76a, 76b of the center plate 60 which are connected to each other in the front-rear direction Z. In this way, the back plate 50 and the center plate 60 are fixed to each other at the center and both sides in the width direction X, thereby being stably connected.

7, the center plate 60 can change the position of the back plate 50 in the vertical direction Y in multiple stages. Specifically, in the example shown in the figure, it can be changed in 6 stages, thereby allowing the back length L1 (see FIG. 3) of the back frame 10 to be freely changed according to the height of the diver.

The relative positions of the central plate 60 and the back plate 50 at each stage are explained. First, when the central plate 60 is at the bottom (Fig. 7(a)), the central insertion hole 58b and the central insertion hole 63a, the side insertion holes 59a and the side insertion holes 65b are overlapped, and the protrusion 68a is inserted into the central insertion hole 58d. Then, when the central plate 60 is at the top (Fig. 7(b)), the central insertion hole 58c and the central insertion hole 63a, the side insertion holes 59b and the side insertion holes 65b are overlapped, and the protrusion 68a is inserted into the central insertion hole 58e. Then, when located at the upper side ( FIG. 7( c )), the central insertion hole 58 d and the central insertion hole 63 a , and the side insertion holes 59 c and the side insertion holes 65 b overlap with each other, and the protrusion 68 a is inserted into the central insertion hole 58 f .

Then, when located at the top (Fig. 7(d)), the central insertion hole 58e and the central insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59a and the side insertion holes 65a overlap with each other. Then, when located at the top (Fig. 7(e)), the central insertion hole 58f and the central insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59b and the side insertion holes 65a overlap with each other. When located at the top (Fig. 7(f)), the central insertion hole 58g and the central insertion hole 63a, and the side insertion holes 59c and the side insertion holes 65a overlap with each other.

In this way, the back frame 10 (back frame body 20) can be matched with the height of the diver, and the back length L1 can be freely changed in 6 stages, so it can be widely used for divers with a large height difference, such as divers with a height of about 150 cm to divers with a height of about 195 cm. Therefore, regardless of male or female, divers of a wide age group can use the same buoyancy adjustment jacket 1, and the manufacturer does not need to manufacture products of different sizes, so the productivity is good. In addition, the user does not need to prepare multiple products according to the height of the diver, so it can be said that the economic burden is reduced.

In this embodiment, the back length L1 of the back frame body 20 is adjusted by a size adjustment means, and the back length L1 can be changed in 6 stages, but it can also be changed in less than 6 stages or more than 6 stages.

5 and 8, the waist cushion 41 of the waist tightening means 40 is mounted to the back frame body 20 by a sliding groove mechanism formed by an annular sliding groove 45 and a mounting belt 22 fixed to the back frame body 20. The waist cushion 41 can freely move up and down by sliding the mounting belt 22 in the sliding groove 45. As shown in FIG8, the waist cushion 41 can move from the position shown by the thick imaginary line to the position shown by the two-point lock line imaginary line, and can move upward or downward following the movement of the wearer's body.

Previously, when using a backpack that was not the right size for the diver's height, even if the diver only adjusted the shoulder straps to achieve a close fit, when the wearer bent forward, there would still be a gap between the diver's shoulders and the backpack, and the diver could not get a full fit when wearing the buoyancy adjustment jacket.

According to the results of careful research by the applicant, it is known that when wearing the diver's ...

Furthermore, in the previous buoyancy adjustment jacket, since the back frame body to which the shoulder straps are fixed and the waist cushion are integrated, when the length of the shoulder straps is adjusted to make the back frame body fit closely to the diver's body, the back frame body will be pulled upward, and the waist cushion will also move upward, so that the waist cushion will be located above the diver's waist, resulting in a decrease in the fit of the waist.

According to the back frame 10 of the present invention, as mentioned above, the back length L1 can be freely changed and set in multiple stages to make it the size most suitable for the height of the diver, so that the back frame 10 can fit the diver's body and give a sufficient fit. In addition, the waist tightening means 40 including the waist cushion 41 makes the mounting belt 22 slide in the sliding groove 45 of the waist cushion 41, thereby freely moving up and down to change its position, so that it can also follow the slight movement of the wearer's waist.

Referring to FIG9(a), before putting on the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1, the diver selects the one that best suits his height from the multiple back lengths L1 shown in FIG7, connects the back plate 20 to the center plate 60, and places the waist tightening means 40 at the best position of the waist. Then, in an upright position, the diver adjusts the length of the slightly loose shoulder straps 11 through the buckle to tighten them so that they fit closely to the body.

At this time, although the back frame body 20 on which the shoulder straps 11 are installed will be pulled upward as the shoulder straps 11 move, since the waist tightening means 40 and the back frame body 20 are independent of each other, they will not be pulled upward together with the back frame body 20 and can be maintained at the optimal position of the waist.

Specifically, even if the back frame body 20 is pulled upward and the mounting belt 22 moves upward, it will only slide and move in the sliding groove 45 of the waist cushion 41, so the waist tightening means 40 including the waist cushion 41 will not move upward therewith.

In addition, referring to FIG. 9( b ), when the diver bends forward, the waist tightening means 40 will slide downward in accordance with the body's movements, so that the waist cushion 41 can maintain the state where the paired waists are in contact with each other at the best position. Furthermore, since the waist cushion 41 is connected to the waist belt 12, when the waist cushion 41 moves up and down, the waist belt 12 will also move up and down in the same manner. Therefore, the waist cushion 41 and the waist belt 12 will move up and down following the diver's body movements, and can respectively maintain the paired diver's waist and abdomen in a fit state.

In the BC jacket of the present invention, it is not necessary to adjust the back length L1 of the back frame body 20 after wearing, so the connection between the back plate 50 and the central plate 60 is achieved by mechanical means such as screws or connecting members 70. In contrast, the waist tightening means 40 must move along with the various movements of the diver during wearing, so the connection adopts a simple sliding mechanism formed by an annular sliding groove 45 and a mounting belt (guide rail) 22. In this way, the most suitable connection means can be selected according to the purpose and function, and as a result, different connection means are used.

Referring again to FIG. 6 , since the opening width of the sliding groove 45 is almost the same as the width of the mounting belt 22 , it can be said that the sliding groove 45 is difficult to move downward by its own weight.

Furthermore, the mounting belt 22 may be formed of any material other than cloth and synthetic resin as long as it can exert the desired friction resistance, such as metal, rubber, glass, chemical fiber, and the like.

As shown in FIG8 , the sliding groove 45 is preferably located above the center of the waist cushion 41 in the up-down direction Y. In the above case, compared with the case where the sliding groove 45 is located in the center, the area extending downward from the sliding groove 45 in the waist cushion 41 becomes larger, and even when the sliding groove 45 is located at the bottom, the waist of the diver can still be widely covered. In addition, the sliding mechanism caused by the mounting belt 22 and the sliding groove 45 may not be a pair of opposite and far-distance in the width direction X as shown in the example, but may be more than two or only one.

(Other embodiments) As other embodiments, for example, the back frame body 20 and the waist belt 12 are formed as one body, and the shoulder straps 11 are formed independently of them. In addition, the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 can be formed as one body as long as it can achieve the technical effect of the present invention, and the back frame 10, the vest 3 and the waist belt 12 can be formed as one body, and the waist tightening means 40 can be formed separately from them.

In the example shown in the figure, although the back frame body 20 has a separate structure consisting of the back frame body 20 and the central plate 60 which are independent entities, the back frame body 20 and the central plate 60 may also be formed as one body.

<Second embodiment> Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 , in the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 described in this embodiment, a weight means 80 is arranged on the side plate 30. The weight means 80 includes: a weight 81 and a weight bag 83 having a pocket 82 for inserting and removing the weight 81. The weight 81 has a handle 81a, and the diver can easily insert and remove the weight 81 from the pocket 82 by holding the handle 81a.

The weight bag 83 includes a bag body 84 and a wing 85 partially fixed to the bag body 84. The wing 85 includes a fixed end 85a fixed to the bag body 84 and a free portion 85b not fixed to the bag body 84. The free portion 85b has an engaging portion where a plurality of hook elements are located on the inner surface of the outer peripheral portion. The bag body 84 has an engaging portion formed of a plurality of ring elements on the outer peripheral portion of the surface facing the wing 85.

The weight 81 is stored in the pocket 82 through the pocket opening 82a of the weight bag 83. With the rear end portion 31 of the side panel 30 interposed between the free portion 85b of the wing 85 and the bag body 84, the weight bag 83 can be detachably mounted on the side panel 30 by connecting the engaging portion of the free portion 85b of the wing 85 and the engaged portion of the bag body 84.

In water, divers adjust buoyancy by breathing control (trimming) caused by the lungs. However, in previous buoyancy adjustment jackets, since the weight means are stored in pockets located near the waist of the vest, for example, when a tall diver wears it, the weight means and the lungs are located farther away, making breathing control caused by the lungs more difficult.

In the buoyancy adjustment jacket 1 of the present invention, since the back frame 10 is provided with a size adjustment means for the back length L1, the back length L1 can be changed in accordance with the height of the diver. Therefore, for example, even when a diver of a taller height wears it, the weight means 80 installed on the side plate 30 in accordance with the height of the diver is still located at the top.

Therefore, the weight means 80 can be always arranged close to the diver's lungs, and the buoyancy caused by the lungs can be easily adjusted. In addition, when worn, the side panels 30 are pivoted to the diver's body side via the hinge mechanism, so they can be arranged closer to the lungs than when arranged in the pocket of the vest 3.

In addition, the structure of the counterweight means 80 is not limited to the example shown in the figure, and may be integrally formed with the side plate 30, for example.

In this specification, among the constituent materials constituting the buoyancy adjusting jacket 1, unless otherwise specified, various well-known materials commonly used in this field can be used without limitation. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. used in this specification are used simply to distinguish the same elements, positions, etc.

1: Jacket for buoyancy adjustment 2: Cylinder 10: Back frame 11: Shoulder straps 20: Back frame body 30: Side panels 40: Waist tightening means 50: Back panel 60: Center panel 80: Weighting means L1: Back length of the back of the back frame X: Width direction Y: Up and down direction Z: Front and back direction

The drawings disclose specific embodiments of the present invention, and are not limited to the indispensable components of the present invention, but also include optional and ideal embodiments. [Figure 1] Front view of the buoyancy adjustment jacket described in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Back view of the buoyancy adjustment jacket. [Figure 3] Front view of the unfolded back frame. [Figure 4] Disassembled oblique view of the back frame viewed from the front side. [Figure 5] Disassembled oblique view of the back frame viewed from the back side. [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view along the VI-VI line shown in Figure 3. [Figure 7] Representation of the connection point between the back plate and the center plate. [Figure 8] Plan view of the lumbar support pad viewed from the back side. [Figure 9] (a) A view of a diver in an upright position. (b) A view of a diver in a forward bending position. [Figure 10] A side view of the buoyancy adjustment jacket of the second embodiment in a worn state. [Figure 11] An illustration showing the weight means and the side panels separated from each other.

1: Jacket for buoyancy adjustment

1a: Front

2: Gas cylinders

3: Vest

10: Backrest

11: Shoulder straps

11a: Shoulder pad

12: Belt

12a: Linking means

16: Link belt

20: Back frame body

30: Side panels

40: Waist tightening method

41: Lumbar support cushion

50: Back panel

60: Central plate

X: width direction

Y: Up and down direction

Claims (5)

A buoyancy adjustment jacket has vertical, width, and front-back directions that intersect each other, and has a back frame for fixing a gas cylinder, and is characterized by: The back frame includes: shoulder straps, and a back frame body located opposite to the back of the diver; The buoyancy adjustment jacket has: size adjustment means, which can change the back length of the back frame body in multiple stages. The buoyancy adjustment jacket as described in claim 1 further comprises: a waist tightening means having a waist belt and a waist cushion, wherein the waist tightening means and the backpack body are independent of each other, and the waist tightening means can be moved in the above-mentioned up and down directions by a sliding mechanism. A buoyancy adjustment jacket as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the back frame body comprises: a back plate and a center plate located on the front side of the back plate; the back plate and the center plate are detachably connected to each other. A buoyancy adjustment jacket as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the side panels connected to the shoulder straps on both sides of the backpack body are installed to be pivotable in the front-rear direction. As described in claim 4, the buoyancy adjustment jacket, wherein the side panels have a counterweight means.

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