WO2017085474A1

WO2017085474A1 - Buoyancy and / or movement apparatus and method of use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2017085474A1
Application number: PCT/GB2016/053570
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stuart Lomax
Original assignee: Innorian Research & Development Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-16
Filing date: 2016-11-16
Publication date: 2017-05-26
Also published as: GB201520159D0; GB2559916A; GB2559916B; GB201807608D0

Abstract

There is provided apparatus and a method for providing buoyancy and movement for a user in a body of water, said apparatus including a wearable portion, typically worn on the torso, and which provides an element of buoyancy and one or more thrust/propulsion means which when operated provide buoyancy and movement in the body of water and the selective movement of the user can be used to control their direction of movement in the body of water under the influence of the thrust/propulsion means.

Description

Buoyancy and /or movement apparatus and method of use thereof

The invention to which this application relates is an apparatus for aiding the buoyancy and/or movement of a user and a method of use thereof.

Although the following description refers exclusively to the use of an apparatus to aid the buoyancy and/or movement of a child in use, the person skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention could also be designed for use by older users, such as fully grown adults or the like.

It is known to provide buoyancy aids for users, when located in a body of water, in various forms . Commonly, such buoyancy aids can be provided in the form of life vests or jackets, wearable by a user and which are provided to maintain the body of the user above the surface of the water. Such vests or jackets are usually inflatable or have a foam core. For leisure activities, children may instead be provided with inflatable arm bands to act as buoyancy aids, as opposed to a full vest. However, such buoyancy aids are all, by nature, bulky, and as a result serve to impede the wearer's ability to swim or move around effectively in a body of water while wearing the aids.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide to provide an apparatus for aiding the buoyancy and/or movement of a user that overcomes the aforementioned problems in the prior art.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a method of using an apparatus for aiding the buoyancy of a user that overcomes the aforementioned problems in the prior art. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus to be worn by a user in a body of water, the apparatus including at least one wearable portion, one or more thrust/propelling means and at least one power source to allow operation of the thrust/propelling means to move and/or aid the buoyancy of, the user in the body of water.

In one form the wearable portion is provided to be worn as a vest or jacket and is at least partially inflatable and/or at least partially formed from a buoyant material.

Thus, the invention provides an apparatus that not only acts, when worn by a user, as a buoyancy aid, but also serves to provide a degree of thrust or propulsion, enabling the user to move more freely in a body of water than would otherwise be possible were the apparatus not fitted with thrust/propelling means.

In one embodiment, said vest/jacket portion has variable buoyancy. Typically, said variable buoyancy can be provided by one or more inflatable chambers located in the wearable portion. Further typically, said one or more chambers are selectively inflatable.

Additionally, or alternatively, said vest/jacket portion may be provided with a substantially foam-based core. Typically, said foam-based core comprises neoprene.

In one embodiment, said thrust/propelling means is provided in the form of at least one jet, impeller or other thrust providing means located on and/or in communication with and/or selectively separable from the vest jacket portion and which creates the movement of the apparatus and hence the wearer. In one embodiment two or more thrust providing means are provided on the apparatus and the same can be selectively operated to control direction of movement of the person. In one embodiment the thrust providing means are operated and worn in communication with the vest portion, or are provided independently from the vest portion.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes one or more further wearable portions, connected to the at least one substantially buoyant portion.

In one embodiment, said one or more further wearable portions are wearable on at least a part of a limb of the user. Typically, said further portion may be worn on a wrist of a user. Further typically, two further portions are provided, to be worn on each of the user's wrists .

In one embodiment, said thrust/propelling means are located on the one or more further wearable portions.

In one embodiment, the direction of thrust/propulsion is changeable by altering the position of the user's arms/hands etc.

In one embodiment, the one or more further wearable portions are connected to the vest/ jacket portion via elongate connection means which allow the provision of power from a power source provided on the vest jacket portion to the propulsion means.

The apparatus is provided, therefore, to enable a user to wear a life vest/jacket which is connected to propulsion means . By including the thrust/propelling means, the user has freedom to direct the thrust/propulsion as they so choose, thereby enabling their movement through the body of water in a chosen direction with relative ease, while simultaneously remaining buoyant and floating in the body of water. Alternatively or additionally, further wearable portions may be provided to be worn on part of a leg of the user. Typically, the portions can be worn around the ankles of a user.

In one embodiment, said at least one power source is provided in the form of one or more batteries. Typically, said one or more batteries are rechargeable. In one embodiment, said one or more batteries are electrically connected to the thrust/propelling means via connecting means.

In one embodiment, said at least one power source is located on the substantially buoyant portion of the apparatus. Typically, the power source is located on a vest/ jacket portion of the apparatus. Further typically, the power source is removable and/or replaceable from the apparatus.

In one embodiment, actuation means are provided to activate the thrust/propelling means. Typically, actuation means are provided for each of the thrust/propelling means that are present on the apparatus. Further typically, each actuation means selectively activates its associated thrust/propelling means.

In one embodiment, the force of thrust/propulsion may be varied by the said actuation means.

In one embodiment, the actuation means are provided on at least one of one or more further wearable portions of the apparatus.

By providing the actuation means for the thrust/propelling means on the one or more further portions, which can be worn on the user's wrist, this enables the users to activate the thrust/propelling means with ease and as they so choose. Furthermore, by enabling a function whereby the force of thrust/propulsion may be varied by the said actuation means, the user can more easily control their movement through the body of water.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using an apparatus to be worn by a user in a body of water, the method including the steps of donning at least one substantially buoyant portion of the and activating one or more thrust/propelling means located on the apparatus, powered by at least one power source.

Typically, the at least one substantially buoyant portion is provided as a vest/jacket portion of the apparatus, to be worn by the user.

In one embodiment, the method further includes attaching one or more further portions of the apparatus to the wrist or wrists of the user. Typically, said thrust/propelling means are located on the one or more further portions and the direction of thrust/propulsion is changeable by altering the position of the user's arms/hands etc.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing an apparatus to be worn by a user in a body of water, the method including: forming at least one substantially buoyant portion of the apparatus; providing the apparatus with one or more thrust/propelling means; and providing at least one power source to power said one or more thrust/propelling means. In one embodiment, the at least one substantially buoyant portion is formed as a vest/ jacket portion of the apparatus, to be worn by the user.

In one embodiment, the method further includes forming one or more further portions of the apparatus to be worn by the user. Typically, said thrust/propelling means are formed on the one or more further portions.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figure, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus to be worn be a user in a body of water, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and

Figure 2 illustrates an apparatus to be worn be a user in a body of water, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to Figure 1 , there is provided an apparatus 2 in the form of a vest 1 , which is to be worn by a user in a body of water. In the present embodiment, the vest 1 is designed to be worn by a child in a swimming pool or similar for entertainment or play purposes . However, it is also envisaged by the Applicant that a more robust and powerful vest could be designed for use by an older child or adult in more practical or demanding conditions. The vest 1 is formed in similar fashion to standard life vests or jackets and is designed to have a sufficient degree of buoyancy to keep the wearer afloat in a body of water. In particular, the vest 1 can be formed, at least in part, from a substantially buoyant material, such as a foam-based material, for example, neoprene. In addition, or alternatively, the vest 1 may be provided with a number of inflatable chambers 3 to keep the wearer afloat. Where inflatable chambers are provided, it is advantageous to provide more than one as a precaution, for example, if one were to "misfire" and fail to inflate, or the membrane of the vest 1 is damaged and one of the chambers subsequently deflates — at least a further chamber will remain inflated. The provision of differing forms of buoyancy aid, and the degree to which they are provided in the vest 1 , allows a vest 1 of variable buoyancy to be formed, the buoyancy of which can then be adjusted according to a particular user. For example, the inflatable chambers 3 may be inflated to a particular level depending on the wearer of the vest 1.

Connected to the vest 1 , via a pair of umbilical cord-like tethers which also allow the passage of power there along 5, is a pair of wristbands 7 to be worn by the wearer of the vest 1. Affixed to each of the wristbands 7 is an impeller assembly 9, which when activated, provides a degree of thrust or propulsion to the wearer, enabling them to travel through the body of water more efficiently and quickly than would otherwise be possible from just swimming while wearing a regular life vest. As described above for the vest 1 , the wristbands 7 are also provided to be buoyant within the body of water, and so are formed from a foam-based material, such as neoprene. The impeller assemblies 9 are powered by a power source in the form of a battery pack 11 , located in the body of the vest 1 , and the electrical connection between the battery pack 1 1 and the impellers 9 runs through the tethers 5 that connect the wristbands 7 to the vest 1. In alternative embodiments, it would also be possible to provide each wristband 7 with individual, smaller battery packs to power the respective impellers. By providing the impellers 9 on the wristbands 7, this enables the wearer to change the direction of propulsion and, hence, the direction of travel through the body of water, simply by moving their arms in the appropriate direction. In addition to the wristbands 7, or in some embodiments, as an alternative, similar bands may be provided to attach to a user's ankles, and the direction of propulsion/thrust may be altered by the user shaping/adjusting their legs as required.

The battery pack 11 formed in the vest 1 may comprise a single or multiple batteries. Typically, however, the battery pack 11 is rechargeable, meaning the user does not constantly have to replace the pack 11. As such, and to make recharging easier, the battery pack 1 1 can be removed from the vest 1 as required, in order to charge it. Activating the impellers 9, once connected to a charged battery pack 11 , can be done by actuating a switch 13 provided, in this embodiment, on each of the wristbands 7. In the present embodiment, a switch 13 is provided for each impeller 9, enabling the user to activate either or both impellers 9 as they so choose. The switches 13 are placed on the wristband 7 for convenience, but it is also envisaged that the switches 13 could just as easily be located on the vest 1 , having a more direct connection with the battery pack 11. In some more simple embodiments, a single switch 13 may be provided, either on one wristband 7 or on the vest 1 , which activates all the impellers 9 of the apparatus. In addition to a simple on/off functionality, the switches 13 may further have the ability to vary the degree or force of thrust/propulsion that is exerted by the impellers 9. By providing such a function, the user can more easily control their movement through the body of water.

In an alternative to the use of electrical power from batteries, a pressurised fluid can be supplied to each impeller selectively and thereby used to selectively operate the same.

Figure 2 illustrates similar apparatus to that shown in Figure 1 and the same reference numerals are used for the same components. However in this embodiment the thrust impellers 9 and location means 7 and control means in the form of switches 13 are provided as respective units 19 which are independent from the vest portion 1 and which are provided with their own respective power sources 21 so that the tethers 5 are not required. In a further embodiment the units 21 could be operated without the vest portion 1.

Thus, the present invention provides apparatus in accordance with the present invention that not only acts, when worn by a user, as a buoyancy aid, but also serves to provide a degree of thrust or propulsion, enabling the user to move more freely through a body of water while wearing a potentially cumbersome life jacket/vest than would otherwise be possible were the user wearing a regular life vest.

Claims

1. Apparatus to be worn by a user in a body of water, the apparatus including at least one wearable portion, one or more thrust/propelling means and at least one power source to allow operation of the thrust/propelling means to move and/or aid the buoyancy of, the user in the body of water.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the thrust/propelling means includes at least one jet or impeller for the movement of water when operated.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein two or more thrust/propelling means are provided as part of the apparatus

4 Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the two or more thrust providing means are selectively operable to allow control of the direction of movement of the user when wearing the apparatus.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wearable portion is a vest or jacket to be worn on the torso of the user.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the wearable portion is at least partially inflatable to allow the same to have variable buoyancy depending on the level of inflation.

7 Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wearable portion includes a foam material core.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein one or more further wearable portions are provided connected to the at least one wearable portion.

9 Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the two further wearable portions are provided to be worn on each of the users wrists and a thrust/propulsion means is located with said one or more further wearable portions.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the direction of movement of the user as a result of the thrust and propulsion which is generated is controlled by the user selectively positioning their limbs to which the said further wearable portions are attached.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the thrust/propulsion means and further wearable portions are connected to a power source located on the wearable portion.

12. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein actuation means are provided to allow the user to activate the thrust propelling means .

13. A method of using an apparatus to provide buoyancy and/or movement in a body of water, the method including the steps of the user adorning at least one wearable portion which is inflatable and/or includes buoyant material, locating first and second thrust/propulsion means on the respective arms and wherein the user activates the thrust/propulsion means to provide buoyancy in the body of water and selectively moves their arms to control their movement in the body of water under the influence of the thrust/propulsion means .