Patent ID: 6176645
Filing Date: 2001-01-23
Classification: A45C,B63C

Abstract:
A hydrostatic balancing jacket for a user during underwater diving comprising:a jacket member includinga dorsal element,left and right lateral shoulder flaps attached to left and right top portions of said dorsal element, andleft and right abdominal/pectoral flaps attached to left and right lower portions of said dorsal element;a first connection means for connecting adjacent portions of said abdominal/pectoral flaps to one another, said first connection means includingrespective left and right first straps attached at attached ends thereof to respective said left and right abdominal/pectoral flaps, anda first buckle having respective left and right first buckle elements which releasably interlock with one another and which are attached to respective said left and right first straps, one of said first buckle elements being adjustably secured along a length of an associated one of said first straps in order to lengthen or shorten a distance between the one said first buckle element and said attached end of the one said first strap and hence to fit said abdominal/pectoral flaps to the user;a first housing in an associated one of said abdominal/pectoral flaps having said attached end of the one said first strap attached thereto, said first housing receiving therein a free end of the one said first strap in order to prevent the free end of the one said first strap from being caught up;left and right second connection means for connecting respective adjacent portions of said left and right shoulder flaps with respective adjacent portions of said left and right abdominal/pectoral flaps, each said second connection means includinga top second strap attached at attached end thereof to an associated said shoulder flap,a bottom second strap attached at attached end thereof to an associated said abdominal/pectoral flap, anda second buckle having respective top and bottom second buckle elements which releasably interlock with one another and a release member which releases said top and bottom buckle elements from one another, said top and bottom buckle elements being attached to respective said top and bottom second straps, one of said second buckle elements being adjustably secured along a length of an associated one of said second straps in order to lengthen or shorten a distance between the one said second buckle element and said attached end of the one said second strap and hence to fit said shoulder flaps to the user;left and right second housings for respective said left and right connection means, each said second housing being located in an associated one of said flaps associated with said attached end of the one said second strap attached thereto, each said second housing receiving therein a free end of the one said second strap in order to prevent the free end of the one said second strap from being caught up; andleft and right pockets for respective said left and right connection means, each said pocketbeing located on an associated other one of said flaps to which said attached end of the one said second strap is not attached,having located therein an associated said second buckle in order to secure and protect the associated said second buckle, andincluding an opening therein through which an associated said release member is accessible by the user.