Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
  • B63C9/08—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like
  • B63C9/11—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like covering the torso, e.g. harnesses

Definitions

• the invention relates to a garment for learning to swim. STATE OF THE ART
• One of the problems encountered by people, in particular children, when learning to swim is that they find it difficult to maintain their body at the level of the surface. the water. To this is added a psychological element of anxiety which has the effect that some children experience a feeling of panic when they are put in the water.
• a well-known means for remedying the situa ⁇ tion consists of a buoy which most often consists of an inflatable ring made of flexible material, such as rubber or plastic, and which serves to maintain the body of the person at the surface of the water. • However, when learning to swim, the buoy allows the maintenance, on the surface of the water, only of the part of the body which is surrounded by the buoy, while the position of the body required to learn to swim is substantially horizontal, on the surface of the water.
• the movements to be performed require a position of the head which is such that it remains maintained for the duration of the movements practically at the level of the water surface by allowing breathing by the mouth at regular intervals. .
• the object of the invention is to provide a solution to the problems indicated above.
• the garment comprises a swimsuit and a float device comprising at least one float element.
• at least one of the said float elements consists of a support float arranged to keep the wearer's chin in the raised position during the swimming movements, so as to maintain, by supporting it, the wearer's head above the water level, said support float being attached at least partially to said jersey.
• the support float has the form of a cushion.
• the support float has a support surface which is arranged to support the complete surface of the chin practically completely, and a support surface which is arranged to bear on an upper part of the wearer's torso, from from the base of the throat.
• the envelope surface has a cross section with a concave shape.
• Said outer part of the envelope surface may have a substantially cylindrical shape, the extreme projection of which relative to the body of the wearer is arranged to be substantially in the general longitudinal alignment of the torso. Thanks to the alignment thus obtained between the face, the support float and the torso, a perfectly hydrodynamic profile is obtained so that the float per se offers practically no resistance to water when the body of the wearer moves in water.
• said bearing surface advances in a point up to a determined height of the torso and said interior part of the envelope surface is provided to cover the front half of the surface of the neck.
• Figure 1 illustrates an elevational view of a swimming learning garment according to 1 • invention donned by a person in a standing position.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a partial profile view of the person wearing a garment similar to that of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale.
• Figures 3 and 4 illustrate each of the variants of the garment for use worn by a person in a position of swimming in water.
• FIGS 5 to 7 illustrate additional variants of the garment worn according to the invention.
• FIG. 8 illustrates another variant of the garment according to the invention, not worn and deployed.
• Figures 9 and 10 illustrate front and back views respectively of the variant of Figure 8 in the folded and closed state.
• FIG 11 illustrates the garment according to Figures 8 to 10 in use. Description
• the carrier illustrated in FIG. 1 carries a jersey in two parts, one lower 3 and the other upper 2.
• An inflatable support float 10 is attached to the upper jersey 2, for example by sewing or welding.
• the support float 10 has, in the inflated state, a shape such that it permanently provides a minimum angular deviation designated by the reference ⁇ in FIG. 2 between the base of the chin 4 and the groove 7, thus forming a cushion between the chin 4, on the one hand, and the torso 5 of the apprentice swimmer, on the other part, as can be seen in FIG. 2.
• the angle of separation ⁇ amounts for example to at least 100 °, preferably not less than 135 °, so as to ensure sufficient raising of the head relative to the surface of the water 27. This arrangement allows the child or the adult learning to swim, to always keep the head 6 above the surface of the water 27 as soon as the practically horizontal position of the body 37 on the surface of the water is adopted, as can be seen in FIG. 3.
• the wearer's concentration can thus be focused solely on learning the swimming movements proper as well as on the regularity of breathing without having to worry about keeping the head above the water level 27 In addition, any impression of panic is eliminated.
• the support float 10 is arranged in a collar and so as to advance in a point 17 on the top of the torso, from the base of the neck.
• the pointed shape improves the hydrodynamic character of the float.
• the envelope surface 14 connecting the support surface 11 of the chin to the support surface 12 on the torso, as illustrated in FIG. 2, has a cylindrical shape extending along an axis practically parallel to the neck.
• a vault line 31 can be provided at the extreme advance thereof so as to increase the coefficient of penetration into the water during the accomplishment of swimming movements resulting in an advance of the body in the following water the direction indicated by the arrow F in figure 3.
• lateral floats 21, 22 are advantageously provided on the upper jersey 2, in the manner of epaulettes, on each shoulder 23, 24 of the wearer.
• the lateral floats 21, 22 act on the shoulders as stabilizers by preventing the wearer from turning laterally. LEMENT on itself at the start of the swimming movement, in the direction of the arrow designated by G in Figure 3. The balance of the wearer in the water, at the start of his movement, is thus ensured.
• the arrangement of the floats 10, 21, 22 by direct fixing 8 on the jersey 2 ensures perfect positioning of the floats and this with excellent stability. Consequently, the function of each float can be maintained reliably throughout the swimming training session.
• a particularly effective float device for learning to swim is obtained, because it allows the wearer at the same time to keep his head above the surface of the water, to enjoy great freedom of movement of the arms for swimming and to benefit from excellent visibility as to the swimming movements which it performs since the floats 10, 21, 22 do not interfere with its visual field.
• the lateral floats 21, 22 could also be attached to the central spacing float 10 by straps or straps. This connection mode, not shown, would make it possible to dispense with the upper jersey 2, and to retain as a swimming learning device that the above-mentioned float device 1. This may prove to be advantageous for people with a certain propensity for allergies, in particular synthetic fabrics from which most of the jerseys are made.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 Other variants of floats are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in particular one or more floats arranged in the form of a fin 40 and respectively of a back flange 39 for further stabilization of the body 37.
• FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the floats 10, 21, 22, if necessary 39, are made in one piece.
• the inflation can be made automatically simultaneous and uniform for all the floats.
• the risk of losing one of the floats is eliminated.
• the spacer float 10 can even be arranged as a collar 30 around the neck so as to provide a shape connection of the float to the body 37 of the apprentice swimmer.
• the connection means, inter alia 8 can be eliminated, as can the upper part 2 of the jersey.
• FIG. 6 illustrates a garment according to the invention, to which is added an inflatable or rigid conventional belt buoy 28, which is preferably attached to the jersey.
• the assembly thus provides both the advantages of the garment according to the invention while increasing the ability to maintain the body 37 on the surface of the water.
• the floats are made infla ⁇ ble in a flexible material, such as PVC.
• the floats can also be made from a rigid material with a density less than water, such as expanded polystyrene or a polyurethane foam, or from a deformable material with a density less than water.
• FIG. 7 illustrates a float device comprising a single float 50 with a volume and a surface covering the chest that is substantially more significant.
• the float 50 has a protruding part 51 serving as a spacer and support for the chin. Said protruding part 51 is profiled so as not to protrude laterally from the face. This ensures perfect lateral mobility of the face.
• the high volume of the float 50 further increases the efficiency of the float device by increasing the capacity to float heavier bodies, in particular adolescents, or even adults. To maintain stability of the body against lateral rotation, the float 50 is preferably flattened.
• a one-piece float device of the type illustrated in FIG. 5 is fully integrated into the jersey 2 so as to obtain an assembly 60 which can be produced in one piece, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11.
• a single float 61 is provided practically in the form of an inflatable crescent.
• the float can be distinguished in the deflated state and in FIG. 9 in the inflated state.
• the float 61 is attached to the jersey by its two end zones 68, 69.
• the float 61 has a maximum distance between its upper 41 and lower ⁇ surfaces in the middle. This difference is reduced progressively towards the ends where said surfaces meet.
• the two end zones 68, 69 are fixed to the jersey, so that the float 61 can be made to pivot around the fixing zones 48, 49 which are substantially linear. This produces a garment with a flap that can be folded down in the direction indicated by the arrow H in FIG. 11.
• the float 61 rises when entering the water under the effect of the thrust of the water.
• the float 61 raised then adopts a position perfectly adapted to the face of the user which rests on the float 61.
• the face even sinks slightly into the float 61 forming a cushion, as shown by the broken lines in FIG. 11.
• Optimal stability of the face on the float is obtained in the posi ⁇ tion of the raised chin required for learning.
• Each of the flattened ends 68, 69 of the float 61 extends, preferably, over the whole part of the swimsuit which is between each notch 65, 66 provided for the passage of the arms and the neck passage opening .
• excellent fixation 48, 49 between the float 61 and the swimsuit can be produced.
• the jersey and the float 61 are made of the same material, for example made of flexible PVC.
• a strong 48, 49 attachment can then be obtained, for example by welding each end 68, 69 of the float to the corresponding front and back 58, 59 sides of the jersey, which ensures optimum safety in use.
• the aforementioned one-piece arrangement makes storage of the assembly particularly convenient.
• the manufacture of the integrated jersey assembly with float device is facilitated.
• An inflatable part 68 is integrated into the jersey at the level of the torso and the abdomen.
• the latter 68 mainly consists of at least two lateral wings 55, 56 extending substantially longitudinally relative to the axis of the garment £. Said wings 55, 56 can join at one of their ends so as to have a V shape.
• a single inflation valve 53 for said inflatable part 68 can then be provided.
• This structure of the inflatable part allows, in addition to its ability to better float, to significantly increase the lateral stability of the body in the water because the thrust exerted by each wing is exerted each time laterally on the body in identical proportions. Thus, the tendency to lateral rotation movement along arrow G is considerably thwarted.
• An inflation valve 35 is arranged on a free surface 41, 42 of the central float 61, preferably lower 42, so as not to disturb the wearer since the float 61 rises in the water (FIG. 11).
• a closure 38 is provided for closing the garment 60 on the body by folding the lateral parts around the body.
• the closure 38 consists, for example, of a Velcro closure consisting of a strip longitudinal or several transverse bands distributed along the longitudinal edge 36 ′ of the garment, as illustrated in FIG. 10. These are long enough to allow the use of the same standard garment for bodies of various builds.
• the closure member 38 may also consist of a zipper.
• the dorsal cutout 36 extending right through the garment makes it easier to put on the jersey 2 on which the floats are fixed. This makes it possible to avoid having to pass the jersey through the head. Thus, even in the event of untimely donning of the jersey, the floats on the jersey are maintained.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=3887440

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1993
  • 1993-10-15 BE BE9301101A patent/BE1007623A6/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1994
  • 1994-10-17 WO PCT/BE1994/000070 patent/WO1995010448A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1994-10-17 DE DE69404157T patent/DE69404157T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1994-10-17 CN CN 94193772 patent/CN1133025A/zh active Pending
  • 1994-10-17 EP EP94928734A patent/EP0720559B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-10-17 AU AU78055/94A patent/AU7805594A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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