Marine propulsion – Electric drive for propelling means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-25
2002-10-08
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Electric drive for propelling means
C114S315000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461204
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swimming assistance apparatus using a motor-driven pump to be capable of generating water flow. The present invention also relates to a swimming assistance apparatus to be able to be used in various purposes such as marine sports, driving at water surface with a user or going underwater with the user for instance, practical use, towing surfboards or water boats for instance, or the like. The present invention also relates to a swimming assistance apparatus being capable of attaching to the human body to assist swimming movements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several kinds of swimming assistance apparatus for assisting swimming movements are utilized. These swimming assistance apparatuses are structured according to the purpose thereof. Thus, some swimming assistance apparatuses are now introduced with classification as follows.
(Apparatuses for Making People Familiar with Water)
A swimming ring or a swimming float or the like is popular for beginners of swimming or old people for instance. These swimming ring and swimming float, generally, stores air with airtight so as to float on water. The swimming ring has doughnut-like form The swimming float is given several forms such as mat, animal or something like that. The swimming ring and the swimming float are, generally, used for making the beginners of swimming such as children familiar with water, or for the people who is weak such as old people to enjoy swimming.
Especially, the swimming ring can be easily worn. Thus, it is popular to use for water rescue. A life jacket is also popular for water rescue.
Japanese laid open publication document Hei 11-267246 discloses a swimming ring which is capable of wearing tightly. The swimming ring comprises a ring-like float and jacket-like wear attached to the float to allow wearing with upper half of the body.
(Apparatuses for Practice of Swimming)
A floating plate, so-called beat plate, having same function, which can float, to the swimming ring and the swimming float is also popular. But, floating plate is most frequently uses for practice of swimming. The floating plate is a plate-like float consisting of a material which can float. In case the float plate is held in hand, the float plate is used as practice for butterfly kick for instance. In case the float plate is caught with legs, the floating plate is used as practice for crawl stroke or butterfly stroke for instance.
(Apparatuses for Mainly Using for Marine Sports)
As a swimming assistance apparatus being suitable for marine sports, a swimming assistance apparatus having power source for generating driving power in water is popular. This apparatus, generally, provides a handle for allowing grip to assist swimming on water surface or underwater by driving power. As this kind of swimming assistance apparatus, a surfboard having power source is well known. For example, Japanese laid open publication document Sho 55-106886 discloses a surfboard, a power source using turbo fan of which is attached rear portion of the board. The surfboard disclosed in this document provides a water inlet and a water outlet to drive the surfboard with exhaustion of pressed water. Japanese laid open publication document Sho 57-185875 discloses a surfboard, an engine driving a propeller of which is attached rear portion of the board. The propeller is driven to rotate so as to generate driving power. Same kinds of swimming assistance apparatuses are also disclosed in Japanese laid open publication documents Hei 2-143398 and Hei 5-58388. The former one, that is, Hei 2-143398 discloses a water surface and underwater driving apparatus which provides a cylindrical base having oval form at the front and rear portion to provide a battery in the base. At rear portion of the base, a motor driven by the battery is attached. A propeller is provided so as to connect with an axis of the motor. The propeller is surrounded with a water lead ring. The later one, that is, Hei 5-58388 discloses a water surface and underwater driving apparatus which provides a cylindrical base having oval form at the front and rear portion to provide a battery and a motor in the base. A propeller is provided so as to connect with an axis of the motor via a speed reducer. The propeller is surrounded with a water lead ring. Further, Japanese laid open publication document Sho 49-77393 discloses a swimming assistance apparatus having a swimming ring holding chest as well as. a power source for generating driving power in water.
Above-mentioned swimming assistance apparatuses are used not only for marine sports but also for underwater or undersea investigation.
Disadvantages of the above apparatus having power source are now described as follows.
Conventional apparatus, generally, uses propeller for generating driving force in water. Thus, this kind of apparatus is big size and heavy. Especially, if the base does not float on water, another apparatus having floating function such as boat is required for use on water. Thus, it is inconvenient for transportation or storage on water.
Motor locked or propeller broken may occur in case foreign matter such as seaweed or the like got twisted round the propeller. Safety mechanism such as clutch mechanism for automatically breaking off the transmission from the power source to the propeller should be provided in order to prevent such accident. This requirement makes the apparatus complicate.
It is necessary to take off the float for using underwater. In this case, specific gravity of the base is heavier than that of water, so that the apparatus sink if operator set the handle free. Thus, it is difficult to recover the apparatus. As bat situation, in case the motor or engine was stopped with certain reason while driving underwater, it is difficult to lift the heavy base. Thus, the operator should abandon the recovery of the apparatus in such situation.
Additionally, because the surfboard is not small, the swimming apparatus using the surfboard cannot obtain down sizing and low cost to manufacture. Further, practice is necessary to ride on the surf, so that user is limited so as to not use enjoyably for ordinary people.
Disadvantages of the above swimming assistance apparatus.
Several kinds of swimming assistance apparatuses are utilized according to purpose to use.
However, the swimming assistance apparatus which can satisfy any purposes such as the purpose for making people familiar with water, purpose for practice of swimming, purpose for marine sports or the like are not utilized. In another aspect, the swimming assistance apparatuses are extremely classified being suitable for single purpose. Thus, the swimming apparatus being suitable for any purpose with single apparatus is not utilized.
Especially, the swimming apparatus having power source is not enough small for making people familiar with water or for practice of swimming. In technical aspect, such swimming apparatus having power source has disadvantage being bigger. The disadvantage prevents utilizing of the swimming assistance apparatus which can satisfy any purposes with single apparatus.
Additionally, the swimming apparatus having power source requires holding or gripping by the operator so as to not set free his or her arm movement. This is another disadvantage of the swimming apparatus having power source.
The disadvantage that prevents operator's arm movement is common to many swimming assistance apparatus. For example, the swimming ring is held with arms so as to not set free arms movement. Many kinds of swimming float are caught with hands so as to not set free hands movement. The float plate is same. In case the float plate is used as being caught with legs, the float plate prevents legs movement.
Further, it is required to be capable using both underwater and on water surface as a condition for a swimming assistance apparatus which can satisfy any purposes. However, the apparatus floated on water such as the swimming ring, the swimming float, the float plate or the like is essentially
Takura Toshiyasu
Tanabe Yoshifumi
Morano S. Joseph
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
Vasudeva Ajay
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