Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water rescue or life protecting apparatus – Convertible use article
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-06
2003-05-27
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water rescue or life protecting apparatus
Convertible use article
C441S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06568977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Many people in the United States and all over the world choose to go to the shorelines or lakes for relaxation on their breaks from work and school. Often people use flotation devices to enjoy the water at a lake, pool or ocean. There are flotation devices that fit in a circular fashion around children as they learn to swim. There are also life jackets approved by life guard associations and the Coast Guard as flotation devices to be used as life saving devices in case of a boating problems, or swimming difficulties. In the same vein, are life rafts that are self inflatable that are equipped on motor boats. The life saving devices, although pertinent to the field of flotation devices are not related intricately to the field of recreational flotation devices, and thus are not under the same categories as floating beds, inner tubes and the like.
There are many recreational flotation devices on the market. Most are inflatable and created of a thin plastic material that can be easily punctured. Some are in novelty shapes such as fish, or other sea creatures. However as will be shown in the discussion of related art, most flotation devices cannot change shape by having removably attached pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,794 issued to Brown, on Feb. 2, 1965 shows a folding yoke life preserver. Brown's invention is unlike the present invention because it is a life saving device, not a recreational flotation device, it is one congruous piece, instead of many pieces that can be rearranged into different configurations, and it is intended to be worn by the user around their neck, not used as a seat, tub or boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,926 issued to Talalay on Aug. 30, 1966 shows a seat cushion. Talalay's invention is unlike the present invention because it is a life saving device, not a recreational flotation device, it is one congruous piece, instead of many different pieces that can be rearranged to create different shapes, and it would not function as a seat, tub or floating bed as can the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,249 issued to Bonthelius on Apr. 17, 1973 shows a folding yoke life presever. Bonthelius' invention is unlike the present invention because it is a life saving device, not a recreational flotation device, it is one congruous piece instead of many different pieces that can be rearranged to create different shapes, it is intended to be worn by the user, and it would not function as a seat, tub, or floating bed as can the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,331 issued to Eggleston, on Mar. 8, 1988 shows a lightweight inflatable swim raft anchor apparatus. Eggleston's invention is unlike the present invention because it is a flotation bed only, it has a suction device for attachment to the side of a pool, and it does not have removable flotation pieces to create different shapes such as a tub or seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,662 issued to Kent on Apr. 10, 1990 shows a marine fender and cushion device. Kent's invention is unlike the present invention because it is a seat cushion intended for motor boats, it is not intended to be a floating bed, seat or tub, it does not have removable pieces that can be rearranged to create different shapes, and it is not primarily a flotation device but instead a seat cushion that also has buoyant properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,781 issued to Bauer on May 22, 1990 shows a portable personal flotation device. Bauer's invention is unlike the present invention because it is a wearable flotation device, it does not have removable pieces that can be rearranged to create a bed, tub or boat, it has a door for entering and exiting the flotation device, and it is made of styrofoam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,514 issued to Rowe on Oct. 8, 1996 shows an individual flotation device. Rowe's invention is unlike the present invention because it does not have removable pieces that can be rearranged to create a tub, a boat, or a seat, and it is intended to be held onto instead of a flotation device that can be sat on.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,404 issued to Gomez, on Mar. 10, 1998 shows a floating bed assembly. Gomez' invention is unlike the present invention because it does not have removable pieces that can be rearranged to create a tub, boat or seat, it has telescopic members to change the length of the flotation device, and the pieces of the invention that are buoyant are only beneath the back, head, and feet of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,505 issued to Huang on Nov. 10, 1998 shows a multipurpose float. Huang's invention is unlike the preaent invention because it cannot serve as a boat, or tub, the removable pieces are connected by means of screws not ribbon or twine, and it cannot hold the entire body of an adult user for flotation purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,123 issued to Clifford on Mar. 23, 1999 shows a flotation device utilizing cylindrical foam tubes. Clifford's invention is unlike the present invention because it has sleeves to create different styles of floats instead of using ribbon or twine, and encompasses more individual pieces than the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,423 issued to Silvia on Apr. 4, 2000 shows a pool chair. Silvia's invention is unlike the present invention because it is one congruous piece instead of separate components that can be rearranged to create different embodiments, and it cannot function as a tub, or boat flotation device.
Therefore a need has been established for a flotation device that has pieces that can be rearranged to create a seat, tub, or boat flotation device, and is intended for recreational use.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is a flotation device with removable pieces to create different shapes for the user to recline upon. The present invention is a flotation device with six separate parts that can be attached to one another by means of ties. Five of the six separate pieces are filled with a buoyant foam. The last of the sections is constructed of netting. The netting section has three sections that fold upon each other. Each section is secured to one another by use of ribbon and hooks.
The present invention can be assembled to be a floating tub, a leaky boat, or a seat. The present invention can also be a bed that the user can recline upon for sunbathing or relaxation. The tub and boat embodiments of the present invention create a situation in which the user can still enjoy the water, and stay dryer than in the bed embodiment. The present invention can also be used with each piece separately as a separate flotation device. The different assemblies are explained in greater detail in the following description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4135256 (1979-01-01), Limegrover
patent: 5439405 (1995-08-01), Storey et al.
Greenberg & Lieberman
Greenberg Esq. Michael L.
Swinehart Ed
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