Flipper
The invention relates to a flipper comprising a blade; a shoe member, configured to fit a foot of a wearer; and releasable engaging means for releasably engaging the blade and the shoe member; the engaging means being located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot.
Flippers to be worn on the feet of swimmers and divers are well known. Such flippers are typically moulded in a plastic or rubber material and comprise a blade portion and a shoe portion, for attachment to the foot of the diver.
Typically, the blade portion and the shoe portion are permanently connected to one another, often being integrally moulded together. The shoe portion is configured to fit tightly around the foot of the diver. Donning and doffing the flippers while standing requires the diver to stand on one leg and use one or both hands. Also, because of the length of the blade portion, walking while wearing the flippers is awkward.
Various solutions to the above problems have been proposed, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,324,219 and 6,290,560. The flippers described in these patents provide a separable shoe portion and blade portion. The known prior art, however, all relies on attachment of the shoe portion to the blade portion at the toe and at the heel. This necessitates the shoe portion having a rigid sole in order to prevent unintentional disengagement. The lack of flexibility in the sole makes walking difficult when wearing the shoe portion. The toe and heel mechanism that attaches the shoe portion to the blade portion is likely to get clogged with sand and debris. Also, a different sized mechanism, or at least adjusting means, is required to accommodate different shoe sizes.
Other disadvantages of known prior art detachable flippers include the necessity for the diver to use his/her hands in at least one of the donning and doffing of the flippers; and the exposed nature of the mechanisms results in a risk of snagging and unintentional disengagement.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a flipper which will overcome or minimize at least some of the above disadvantages.
According to the invention a flipper is provided, comprising a blade; a shoe member, configured to fit a foot of a wearer; and engaging means for releasably engaging the blade and the shoe member; the engaging means being located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot.
Also within the scope of the invention, there is provided a blade for a flipper, the blade having releasable engaging means for engaging a shoe member; the engaging means being located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot.
Still within the scope of the invention there is provided a shoe member having engaging means for releasably engaging a blade, the engaging means being located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot.
Preferably, the engaging means, located in the engagement zone of the blade or shoe member is adapted to engage complementary engagement means on the other of the blade or shoe member.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the engaging means is configured to allow engagement of the shoe member and the blade by a step-on action. Alternatively, the engaging means is configured to allow engagement of the shoe member and the blade by a slide-in action.
The shoe member is preferably composed of a flexible material and is deformable to the shape of the foot received therein. Such shoe member may have a sole with rigid portion provided in the engagement zone. Alternatively, the sole may be composed of a rigid material. The engaging means may be integrally moulded into the sole. Alternatively, the engaging means may be connected or connectable to the sole.
The engaging means may comprise complementary male and female members provided, one each, on the shoe member and blade, the male and female members being configured to enable a snap-fit engagement therebetween.
One of the male member and the female member may be provided with a catch; and the other of the male member and the female member with a recess into which the catch is at least partially receivable, so as to secure the engagement of the male member and the female member.
The catch may be moveable between a first position, wherein the catch is located so as to engage the recess, and a second position wherein the catch is retracted so as to allow disengagement from the recess.
The catch is preferably biased towards the first position.
The catch may be integral with the one of the male member and female member to which it is provided, which member may be manufactured of a resilient material.
Alternatively, the catch may be attached to one of the male member and the female member, and biased towards the first position by means of a spring.
As a further alternative, the one of the male member and female member to which the recess is provided is manufactured of a resilient material, allowing disengagement of the catch from the recess by deformation of the member. Alternatively, the engagement means may be provided in the form of a tongue and groove formation, the tongue being provided on either one of the shoe member or the blade and a complementary groove being provided on the other of the shoe member or the blade.
The flipper may include a reinforcing strap attached to the shoe member in the engagement zone. The strap may extend around the midfoot, the foot being received within the shoe member, in use.
The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein
A flipper 10 according to the invention, and illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, includes a shoe 12, configured to fit a foot of a wearer (not shown); and a blade member 14. The shoe 12 has a sole portion 16, preferably constructed from a resiliently deformable material, such as a hard rubber, having a first engaging means 18 located thereon. The engaging means 18 is configured to engage a complementary second engaging means 20 provided on the blade member 14, so as to render the shoe 12 and the blade member 14 releasably securable to one another.
The first and second engaging means 18, 20 are located in an engagement zone, which corresponds to the proximal portion of the length of the foot. In this embodiment, the engagement zone is centrally located below the arch of the foot. The upper portion 22 of the shoe 12 is comprised of a flexible material, such as neoprene, providing comfort to the wearer.
A reinforcing band 24 is provided across the upper portion 22 of the shoe 12, in the engagement zone. The band 24 can be tightened by directing it through a buckle and securing it to itself with a hook and pile connector.
The engaging means 18, 20 are configured to allow engagement of the shoe 12 and the blade member 14 in a step-on action, and disengagement by relative movement of the shoe 12 and the blade member 14 in a plane substantially parallel to that of the blade member 14, as shown in
Further, the engaging means 18, 20 are configured to engage one another in a snap-fit manner. The second engaging means 20 has a fixed catch member 26 and a displaceable catch member 28, extending upwardly therefrom. The displaceable catch member 28 is movable between an open position in which it is generally horizontally disposed and a closed position in which it is generally vertically disposed, as shown in
To disengage, the displaceable catch member 28 is pushed towards its open position by moving the shoe 12 rearwardly over the blade member 14 in a generally horizontal plane until the ridge 32b is released from the fixed catch member 26; and the shoe 12 is then lifted from the blade member 14, as shown in
In a second embodiment of the invention, the sole portion 31 of the shoe 30 releasably engages an intermediate member 32 as shown in
A blade member 40 is sandwiched between an upper and a lower plate 41a, 41b, as shown in
Holes 44a, 44b are provided in the blade member 40 through which the lugs 43 are received to engage the upper plate 41a, thereby to sandwich the blade member 40 between the plates 41.
The configuration of the shoe 30 and intermediate member 32 is now engaged with the configuration of the blade member 40 and plates 41, in a step-on action, as shown in
To disengage the shoe 30 with the blade member 40, at least one of the catch members 42a or 42b is outwardly displaced and the shoe is lifted from the blade configuration until the lips 46 disengage the rails 38.
In a third embodiment of the invention as shown in
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, as shown in
It is envisaged that the flipper will be useful to divers or swimmers because when worn, the flexible shoe will not inhibit walking; the mechanism that enables engagement between the shoe and blade member will function effectively despite the sandy conditions in which the flipper may be used; donning and doffing the flippers while standing does not require the user to stand on one leg or use one or both hands; the use of an intermediate member enables a single blade to be used in conjunction with a number of different sized shoes; and a user having a particular shoe size is not restricted to using a corresponding blade size, but can use a blade size that suits them best.
It will be appreciated that numerous embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed hereinbelow.
Claims
1. A flipper comprising a blade; a shoe member, configured to fit a foot of a wearer; and releasable engaging means for releasably engaging the blade and the shoe member in a snap-fit configuration on approach of the shoe member and blade relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blade; wherein the engaging means comprise complementary engaging members located on the shoe member and the blade respectively, wherein the engaging members are located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot, wherein the proximal portion is defined as intermediate the toe and heel of the foot.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. The flipper according to claim 1 wherein the engaging members comprise complementary male and female members, one of the male and female members on the shoe member and an other one of the male and female members on the blade, the male and female members being configured to enable a snap-fit engagement therebetween.
6. The flipper according to claim 5 wherein one of the male member and the female member is provided with a catch; and the other one of the male member and the female member is provided with a recess into which the catch is at least partially receivable, so as to secure the engagement of the male member and the female member.
7. The flipper according to claim 6 wherein the catch is moveable between a first position, wherein the catch is located so as to engage the recess, and a second position wherein the catch is retracted so as to allow disengagement from the recess.
8. The flipper according to claim 7 wherein the catch is biased towards the first position.
9. The flipper according to claim 8 wherein the catch is integral with the one of the male member and female member to which it is provided, and wherein the one of the male and female member is manufactured of a resilient material.
10. The flipper according to claim 8 wherein the catch is attached to one of the male member and the female member, and biased towards the first position by means of a spring.
11. The flipper according to claim 6 wherein the one of the male member and female member to which the recess is provided is manufactured of a resilient material, allowing disengagement of the catch from the recess by deformation of the member.
12. (canceled)
13. A blade for a flipper, the blade having releasable engaging means for engaging a shoe member, configured to fit a foot of a wearer in a snap-fit configuration, on approach of the shoe member and blade relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blade; wherein the engaging means comprise complementary engaging members located on the shoe member and the blade respectively, wherein the engaging members are located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot, wherein the proximal portion is defined as intermediate the toe and heel of the foot.
14. A shoe member, configured to fit a foot of a wearer and having engaging means for releasably engaging a flipper blade in a snap-fit configuration, on approach of the shoe member and blade relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blade, wherein the engaging means comprise complementary engaging members located on the shoe member and the blade respectively, wherein the engaging members are located in an engagement zone corresponding to a proximal portion of the length of the foot, wherein the proximal portion is defined as intermediate the toe and heel of the foot.
15. The shoe member according to claim 14, wherein the shoe member includes a reinforcing strap attached to the shoe member in the engagement zone.
16. The shoe member according to claim 15 wherein the strap extends about a midfoot.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 11, 2003
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2005
Inventor: Rhys Couzyn (Sandton)
Application Number: 10/638,960