The present application relates generally to personal floatation devices and, more particularly, to personal floatation devices that are manually propelled in a body of water.
It is well known that personal floatation devices, such as air-encapsulating inner tubes and the like, can be propelled by a user with simple hand and/or foot movement. It is also well known that such movement can be maximized and enhanced with the utilization of fin-like structures, typically coupled to a user""s foot, to maximize water resistance to cause the floatation device to travel in the desired direction. However, a limitation of such a design is that hand and leg movement are not synchronized and thus can be counterproductive. Further, when returning the fin-like structure to the origination point to begin another cycle, the fin-like structure generally increases water resistance in the return stroke, consequently degrading and hindering travel in the desired direction.
It is also well known that simultaneous and synchronous hand and foot movement can be achieved via a ski-like machine on land, wherein an interconnecting structure, such as an elongated rod, is used to coordinate hand and leg movement. However, such a structure is not readily adaptable for water usage, let alone buoyancy. As such, there exists a need in personal floatation devices to incorporate the benefits of simultaneous and synchronous movement of the hands and legs.
The present application discloses a manually propelled personal floatation apparatus. The apparatus comprises a central body portion capable of being buoyant in a body of water and a depending propulsion structure that is pivotally coupled to the body portion.
The propulsion structure includes a fin member pivotally coupled to an elongated rod and is adapted to extend substantially perpendicular from the body portion, thereby acting as a sail, to propel the floatation apparatus forwardly and to lay substantially parallel to the body portion to encourage continued gliding of the floatation apparatus. The elongated rod is pivotal between forward and rearward positions relative to the body portion. As such, when the rod is pivoted from the forward to the rearward position, the fin member extends perpendicular from the body portion, consequently affecting forward movement of the floatation apparatus caused by water resistance acting upon the fin member. When the rod is pivoted from the rearward position to the forward position, the fin member lays parallel to the body portion where water resistance with the fin member is minimized, thus encouraging continued forward movement of the floatation apparatus in a gliding manner.
A foot-holding structure, adapted to secure a user""s foot or leg to the elongated rod, may be coupled adjacent to the lowermost terminus of the elongated rod. In such an embodiment, the user""s foot or leg can assist the manual movement of the elongated rod from forward and rearward positions relative to the central body portion, and vice-versa, thereby assisting in forward propulsion. dr
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages, should be readily understood and appreciated.
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a floatation apparatus in accordance with the present application;
FIG. 2 is a reduced side view of the floatation apparatus of FIG. 1 depicted in use by a user with the foreground fin member disposed in the substantially parallel position;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the foreground fin member disposed in the substantially perpendicular position;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevation view of the floatation apparatus of FIG. 1 with the fin member disposed in the substantially parallel position;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front view taken along line 5xe2x80x945 in FIG. 1 with a propulsion structure removed for clarity purposes;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged, rear view of the pivoting structure of FIG. 1 with the vertical bore and bottom surface shown with hidden lines; and
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but with the vertical bore and the top surface shown with hidden lines.