Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Swimming aid to increase stroke efficiency – Foot attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-06-19
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Swimming aid to increase stroke efficiency
Foot attached
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247983
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjusting strap structure, and more particularly to an adjusting strap structure for a pair of swim fins.
2. Description of the Related Art
The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,781 to McLaughlin, filed on Nov. 7, 1997, entitled by “SWIM FIN INCORPORATING PRONATION COMPENSATION STRUCTURE”.
In the McLaughlin prior art, it disclosed a pair of swim fins each comprising a blade
3
, a foot pocket
19
, a heel strap
45
including two half heel straps
49
each having one distal end secured to the outside of the bottom portion
17
of the foot pocket
19
and the other distal end
53
arranged to come into overlapping contact with the other half heel strap
49
of the pair, and a coupling device
55
for connecting the half heel straps
49
together in temporary connection. The coupling device
55
includes a strip
57
fastened to the distal end
53
of one heel strap
49
and having a plurality of loop elements
61
, a strip
63
fastened to the distal end
53
of the other heel strap
49
and having a plurality of hook elements
65
detachably engaged with the loop elements
61
for connecting the two half heel straps
49
together.
However, each of the two half heel straps
49
is fixed to the foot pocket
19
so that the length of the heel strap
45
relative to the foot pocket
19
cannot be arbitrarily varied. Accordingly, it is not easy to adjust the tension and relaxation of the heel strap
45
relative to the user's feet so that the heel strap
45
cannot fit users of different statures, thereby greatly limiting the versatility of the heel strap
45
. In addition, the two half heel straps
49
of the heel strap
45
are directly in contact with the user's heel when the user wears the heel strap
45
, thereby easily injuring the user's heel after long-term use due to frequent contact and scrubbing action.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjusting strap structure for one of a pair of swim fins comprising an adjusting strap including two sides each having two distal ends, two first snapping members each mounted on a respective one of the two distal ends of one of the two sides of the adjusting strap, and at least one second snapping member mounted on the one side of the adjusting strap and located between the two first snapping members for detachably engaging with the two first snapping members.
Each of the two distal ends of the adjusting strap respectively extends through a respective one of the two side walls of the foot pocket of the swim fin, and each of the two first snapping members are detachably engaged with the at least one second snapping member. Each of the two side walls of the foot pocket defines a first hole and a second hole spaced from each other, and each of the two distal ends of the adjusting strap in turn passes through the first hole into the foot pocket, and then passes through the second hole to extend outward from the foot pocket.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting strap structure comprises a second snapping member mounted on a mediate portion of the one side of the adjusting strap and located between the two first snapping members.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting strap structure comprises two second snapping members each mounted on the one side of the adjusting strap and located adjacent to a respective one of the two first snapping members.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting strap structure further comprises a third snapping member mounted on the other side of the adjusting strap and located opposite to one of the two first snapping members.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting strap structure further comprises two third snapping members each mounted on the other side of the adjusting strap and each located opposite to a respective one of the two first snapping members, and two retaining strips each having one end attached to the one side of the adjusting strap and each including a fourth snapping member detachably engaged with a respective one of the two third snapping members.
The adjusting strap structure also comprises a flexible pad secured on a mediate portion of the adjusting strap and facing the foot pocket. The flexible pad includes an elongated body defining a plurality of lengthwise grooves and a plurality of crosswise slits intersecting the lengthwise grooves, and a protrusion protruding outward from a mediate portion of the elongated body and defining a plurality of crosswise grooves. The elongated body also defines an elongated recess for receiving the mediate portion of the adjusting strap.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 332516 (1993-01-01), Middleton
patent: 4795385 (1989-01-01), Matsuoka
patent: 4832644 (1989-05-01), Roberts
patent: 5183424 (1993-02-01), Field
patent: 5423134 (1995-06-01), Bagnaia et al.
Morano S. Joseph
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
Wright Andrew
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