Swim fin

Details Swim fin Swim fin

2001-09-26

2002-06-04

Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)

Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices

Swimming aid to increase stroke efficiency

Foot attached

Reexamination Certificate

active

06398605

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to flippers or fins for scuba diving, boogie boarding, snorkeling, water sports, and swimming.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Swim fins are used for scuba diving, snorkeling, and swimming. Typically, fins include a fan-shaped portion for propulsion in a water environment. Conventional fins also include a structure to attach the fin to a user's foot. The attachment structures can be divided into shoe-like structures such as foot pockets and sandal-like structures such as straps. A user inserts a foot into the attachment structure and attaches the fin to the foot. Attachment structures typically have multiple parts, many of which are breakable.
Conventional fins are difficult to walk in, and provide limited resistance or traction for wading into bodies of water. Conventional fins are usually sport specific and expensive, because they lack the flexibility of use to encompass a wide range of water sports.
Additionally, conventional style fins tend to be ill-fitting, and fall off easily, particularly on children. It is expensive for parents to replace fins as the child's foot grows, thus using fins is difficult for children, and fins are easily lost as the child swims.
Fins are most often used by recreational swimmers, divers, and vacationers. Space is often limited when traveling, and conventional fins are bulky and thus require a considerable amount of space in luggage and storage. As an alternative to fins, vacationers oftentimes travel with sandals or other shoes that can be worn while scuba diving, snorkeling, and swimming instead of fins. However, this does not provide the additional propulsion that fins provide.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention, which is defined by the claims set out at the end of this disclosure, is intended to solve at least some of the problems noted above. A fin is provided that preferably lacks any attachment structure that are shoe-like, such as foot pockets, or sandal-like, such as straps. Thus, unlike previous fins, the fin described herein is not secured to a user's foot. Instead, it is placed between a foot and a sandal, shoe, or other foot covering. This provides a much more secure fit, and makes walking in fins much easier.
More specifically, the present invention is directed to a swim fin for placement in a foot covering, where the foot covering includes a heel edge and an open toe edge. The swim fin comprises a generally planar member with a first toe end extending beyond the toe edge of the foot covering, a second heel end opposite the first end, wherein the second end is narrower than the first for placement in the foot covering, and opposing lateral sides extending between the first toe end and the second heel end. The opposing lateral sides define a foot placement area.
The present invention is also directed to a swim fin for placement in a foot covering, wherein the foot covering includes a heel edge and an open toe edge. The swim fin comprises a generally planar member with a first toe end extending beyond the toe edge of the foot covering; a second heel end opposite the first end, wherein the second end is narrower than the first for placement in the foot covering; opposing lateral sides extending between the first toe end and the second heel end, wherein the opposing lateral sides define a foot placement area; and at least one, and preferably two, tabs extending outwardly from one of the lateral sides at a location spaced distantly from the toe end, wherein the first toe end, the second heel end, and the tab are all in the same plane.
Another version of the fin includes a foot covering including an at least substantially planar sole and binding members extending upwardly from the sole. The binding members are situated about the sole so as to receive a user's foot therein and bind the foot to the sole. The fin also includes an at least substantially planar body member including a toe end, a heel end opposite the toe end, and opposing lateral sides that extend between the toe end and the heel end. The width of the body member between the lateral sides is such that a portion of the body member adjacent the heel end may rest between the binding members in at least substantially parallel relation to the sole. A user's foot may be received within the binding members of the foot covering with the body member situated between the user's foot and the sole of the foot covering. This version of the fin can also include at least one tab as described above.
All of the versions described above can also include a raised arch-support area located between the toe end and the heel end. The raised area is complementary to a built-in arch in a foot covering, such as a TEVA-brand sandal. Thus, this version of the fin can be worn with these types of foot coverings.
All of the versions of the fin can also include a flange that projects from the heel end at approximately a right angle. The flange can project upwardly or downwardly. The downwardly projecting flange helps secure the fin to the sandal by pressing it against the heel of the sandal. The upwardly projecting flange helps fix the fin in place by pressing it against the user's heel.
The objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2343468 (1944-03-01), Messinger
patent: 2980926 (1961-04-01), Wolshin
patent: 5358439 (1994-10-01), Paolo
patent: 2505663 (1982-11-01), None

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