US20040226557A1

US20040226557A1 - Snorkel adaptor assembly

Info

Publication number: US20040226557A1
Application number: US10/435,109
Authority: US
Inventors: Chih-Cheng Shiue
Original assignee: QDS Injection Molding LLC
Current assignee: QDS Injection Molding LLC
Priority date: 2003-05-12
Filing date: 2003-05-12
Publication date: 2004-11-18

Abstract

The present invention is relating to a snorkel adaptor assembly, especially to an adaptor assembly can be attached to the upper end of snorkel to minimize or prevent from water enter the tube of snorkel. Said adaptor assembly comprises a main body, which attached to the upper end of snorkel, providing an opening and a movable cover attached thereon, a floating member, a protective cover provided in one side of said opening of main body receiving said movable cover and floating member as well as their movement. When water level upward, by the buoyancy of water, the floating member upward and lifting the movable cover, and the movable cover further covering the opening of main body.

Description

FILED OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device attached to the upper end of a swimming, diving or scuba snorkel, especially a device to prevent water from entering the tube of snorkel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The function of a complete dry snorkel is not only to prevent water flow into the tube through the upper end of the snorkel, but also to allow smooth inlet and outlet of air. Furthermore, it should allow repelling the water inside the snorkel.

When using snorkel in swimming or scuba diving, the tiderip caused water spray or user's head swing, shaking, and dive down, causes water flow into snorkel. Therefore, normally, an upper cover is provided on the opening of the upper end of snorkel for prevention. Some cover may be designed improperly, and the result is that the cover sometimes closes the air inlet/outlet opening during the user in breath.

There are various conventional top covers (also called as water protection device). The ideal type of top cover requires:

1. To conform the basic requirement of preventing water flow into the snorkel and allow the air inlet and outlet.

2. The dimension should not be too large, otherwise, during diving and swimming there will be significant water resistance.

3. When user breaths, the cover should not cause an error of operation, for example, when air inlet, the passage should not unnecessary close.

4. Easily produce and assembly, low cost.

Conventional products and prior patents do not achieve these goals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is providing a water prevention top cover that can be attached to the upper end of snorkel for effective prevention of water flow into the snorkel but allow the air through.

The device of the present invention positioned in the upper end of snorkel providing a main body, which allowing the upper end opening of snorkel extending upwardly and changing the direction of opening to vertical direction (when in use the closing member can be smoothly angled downward); providing a movable closing member in the lower side of opening, said closing member can cover the opening to allow the opening in the condition in close and not leak; under the closing member providing a floating member; further providing a protective cover which positioned in one side of the opening direction to allow the floating member and closing member located within the protective cover.

The above-mentioned floating member will follow the water level up and down. When the water level is upward, the floating member lifts up the closing member and allow it closing the opening of main body and the water is not able to flow through opening. When the water level downward, because of it's own gravity, the floating member follow the water downward, the closing member is not lifted anymore and due to it's own gravity or pulling strength, the closing member is not able to close the opening.

Protective cover is provided on the body and the top is closed. There are windows on the side and bottom wall of protective cover allow the water easily enter the bottom side of it and make the floating member react to water level sensitively to carry out its lifting closing member task.

The shape of closing member is similar to a bowl, with holes and pins to compose a movable structure, if pressed by floating member more hard, will close the opening more closely. When it is in close status, the air can not pass through opening; when it is in open status, the air from outside pass through the closing member into snorkel. In this circumstance, the closing member is not easily driven. Therefore, the closing member is not easily causing error motion of cutting off the air inflow.

The present invention providing the effectively prevent water flow from any direction into snorkel and prevent the water inflow caused by the water level follow the tide rip up and down. This can maintain the snorkel in better operation mode.

When the device of present invention sinks into water, the buoyancy of floating member will be proportional to the sinkage. That means, when the floating member fully sinking into water, it presses the closing member more hard, then the effect of prevent water inflow is better.

Furthermore, in practice, the vertical direction of snorkel may incline forward, that means, when the closing member is closing the opening, but the water level downward and the floating member also downward, because of the angle, the closing member remain closing the opening, and the closing member can not using its own gravity fall down to make the opening in the open status. Therefore, there is a means of connection, for example but not limited to a line or pivot joint linking the 2 members, between the closing member and floating member. When floating member downward, also pulling the closing member downward by the connecting line make the opening in open status. Also, when the opening is open, air flow from outside through opening into snorkel, because floating member pulling closing member, the air flow is not easy to suck the closing member, therefore, the opening is not easy to raising the error motion of cutting off the air flow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the perspective view of the preferred embodiment practicing the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 2 is the perspective view of the present invention. [0019]
FIG. 3 is the drawing showing the disassembly of the present invention. [0020]
FIG. 4 is the sectional view of the present invention. [0021]
FIG. 5 is the other sectional view of the present invention.[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer to FIG. 1, the present invention is [0023] top cover 20 attached to the upper end of snorkel 10, and said snorkel 10 comprises a tube 12 and mouthpiece 14.
As shown on FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the [0024] top cover 20 mainly comprises a main body 21, a protective cover 30 which attached on said main body 21; a closing member 40 and a floating member within said main body 21.
[0025] Main body 21 including a matching pipe 22 which connect to the upper end of tube 12. Said matching pipe 22 provides the snap 23 or the like fasten member to fasten the matching tube closely to tube 12. Furthermore, the matching tube also provides the seal ring for water proof and assembly. Main body 21 is a extending hollow tube with an opening 24 at the end to allow the water and air inflow into passage 25. The opening 24 is designed 90 degrees in direction to passage 25. The opening 24 is controlled by a closing member 40 for which to open or close the opening 24 as well as passage 25. Under the opening 24 provides a pair of protruding tenons 26 to attach with closing member 40. The side wall of main body 21 provides the attachment of protective cover 30 to the main body 21.
The [0026] protective cover 30 is constructed by a hole 31 and a protruding mortise 27 and located on the main body 21. Protective cover 30 including the cover shell 32, window A 33 and window B 34 positioned in the upper part of it. Cover shell 32 is just shielding the opening which stop the water splash into opening 24; When practice, the closing member 40 and floating member 50 located within protective cover 30 can be freely move within the preset scope. Under the preamble of such movement, the protective cover provides plurality of window A 33 and window B 34 as air passage. When the floating member 50 is not yet float up, allowing the air flow through window A 33, window B 34 and opening 24; when the water level upward, the water can quickly flow through window A 33 and window B 34 into protective cover 30 and make the floating member 50 react quickly and floating up to press the closing member.
Closing [0027] member 40 has a valve functional cover 41. Under said cover 41 providing a pair of hole respective to said tenons 26. The cover 41 has a curved outward portion 43 like a bowl. By hinging hole 42 and tenon 26 as a axle, allowing the closing member 40 whether shield the opening or not. The curved outward portion 43 is designed can be pressed by floating member 50.
Floating member is made by the material which density is smaller than water, such as low density material or the hollow member the like. Said floating member is located within the lower portion of [0028] protective cover 30 and movable up and down. When the floating upward by water level, the top of floating member 50 press to the curved outward portion 43 of cover 41; when the water level downward, the floating member fall down by its gravity, and no more press the curved outward portion 43 of cover 41.
On the top of floating member provides a connecting [0029] line 51 and its other end connects to cover 41. The length of connecting line 51 is preset to the length which not influence the floating 50 floating up and close opening 24 as well as floating member 50 downward can pulling the cover 41 depart to opening 24 and allow the opening 24 in open status.
Refer to FIG. 4, when the water level is lower the floating [0030] member 50 or the floating member 50 is not able to float up, closing member 40 downward because of the gravity and the connecting line 51 connecting to floating 50, the opening is in open status can easily flow into opening 24. When snorkel 10 in strongly spit water motion, the water inside will be flow out through opening 24. Meanwhile, the outside splash water is not easy to enter the opening 24.
Refer to FIG. 5, when the floating [0031] member 50 floating up caused by water level to the preset height, it lifts up the curved outward portion 43 of closing member 40 and make the closing member close the opening 24; the water outside top cover 20 can not flow into the opening 24.
In conclusion, the present invention provides a [0032] top cover 20 attached on the upper end of snorkel, effectively achieve the prevention of water flow into the snorkel caused by splash and tide rip of the water.
It will be understood that the invention herein disclosed meets all of the aforementioned objects. It will also be understood that while a preferred embodiment has been described in detail, but only by the appended claims and their equivalents. [0033]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1) A snorkel adaptor assembly for attachment to the upper end of snorkel for prevent water inflow, said assembly comprising:

A main body; it passage extending from the snorkel, the opening of the passage end is in vertical direction and providing a closing member;

A closing member; is a bowl shape for using close the opening, its open/close controlled by a floating member;

A floating member;

A protective cover; attached with main body and allowing the floating member and closing member move inside of it.

2) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing member providing a movable axle under said opening.

3) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing member having a curved outward portion.

4) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing member having a curved inward portion.

5) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floating member is a member which gravity is smaller than water.

6) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, where the upper portion of protective cover providing a water stopper means.

7) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of protective cover having plurality of windows.

8) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floating member and closing member are connected with a connecting line.

9) The snorkel adaptor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floating member and closing member are connected with a pivot joint.