Abstract:
The invention provides a cheap mechanical wrist swim lap counter for counting the number of laps traversed by a swimmer in a swimming pool. The lap counter consists of a front and a rear covers, a finger gear wheel and a pad. The lap counter uses the friction force between surfaces of gear wheel and covers to prevent gear wheel from rotating in swimming, and to provide a consistent feeling when the swimmer dials the gear wheel. The invention also provides a design to prevent lap counter from flipping in swimming.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of Singapore (SG) design application No. D2005/1676/H filed Oct. 1, 2005.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a mechanical wrist counter for counting the number of laps traversed by a swimmer in a swimming pool.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A swimmer wants to know the distance he travels in a swimming pool having a specified length in lanes. Each length of the pool traversed is referred to as a lap. The swimmer can determine the total distance traveled by counting the number of laps he has traversed and multiplying this figure by the lane length.  
         [0004]     Currently, to count laps, some swimmers use electrical sports watches, which are relative expensive, consume batteries, and have the possibility of water leak. But most swimmers just count and memory laps in the brains. However they feel that it is hard to count and remember laps when exhausted; it is not possible to have relax exercises or focuses on other objects, as keep memorizing laps; or they are often puzzled about how many laps they really have done after their swimming.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The first object is to provide cheap wrist lap counters for swimmers. And the second object is to provide a design to prevent wrist lap counters from flipping in swimming.  
         [0006]     A lap counter for a swimmer to wear on wrist to count laps in swimming, comprising (1) a finger gear wheel with numbers printed in a circle around the center on the front surface, each number relating to a gear; (2) a front cover with a gap and a window; (3) a rear cover with a gap; and (4) a wedge pad under the rear cover.  
         [0007]     Two or four eyelets fasten the front and the rear covers together. The gear wheel is fixed on a bent axis to and between the covers. The gear wheel and the front cover are made from soft plastic. The eyelets and the bent axis exert pressure to let the soft plastic surfaces of the gear wheel fully touch surfaces of the front and the rear covers to generate reliable and steady friction force to prevent the gear wheel from rotating in swimming, and to provide the swimmer a consistent feeling each time he dials the gear wheel;  
         [0008]     The wheel is hidden between the covers, but the gap of the front cover uncovers a gear of the wheel, and the number relating to the uncovered gear shows in the window of the front cover. When the swimmer dials the uncovered gear to the edge of the gap, the wheel rotates a gear, thus the uncovered gear moves inside the covers, but another gear moves out to become a new uncovered gear, and the number relating to the new uncovered gear shows in the window.  
         [0009]     A cord ties the lap counter to wrist. On wrist, the thin end of the wedge pad lowers the left side of the lap counter, thus reduces water force and gives more force for the cord to pull back the lap counter whenever water flips it. As well as the thick end of the wedge pad lifts the right side, thus prevents the uncovered gear to jab wrist.  
         [0010]     For the lap counter fastened by four eyelets, the cord ties the four eyelets to wrist with two parallel cord portions around wrist. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the wrist swim lap counter of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of first embodiment being worn on wrist;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a finger gear wheel of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of A-A;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the first embodiment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternative pad of the first embodiment;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the wrist swim lap counter of the invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a rear view of the second embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a pad of the second embodiment;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a front view of the third embodiment of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a rear view of the third embodiment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is a right side view of the third embodiment;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a front view of the fourth embodiment of the wrist swim lap counter of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a rear view of the fourth embodiment;  
         [0026]      FIG. 16  is a right side view of the fourth embodiment;  
         [0027]      FIG. 17  is a bottom view of the fourth embodiment;  
         [0028]      FIG. 18  is a bottom view of the fourth embodiment being worn on wrist;  
         [0029]      FIG. 19  is a front view of the fifth embodiment of the wrist swim lap counter of the invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 20  is a rear view of the fifth embodiment;  
         [0031]      FIG. 21  is a right side view of the fifth embodiment;  
         [0032]      FIG. 22  is a front view of the finger gear wheel of the fifth embodiment;  
         [0033]      FIG. 23  is a front view of the fifth embodiment showing number  1 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 24  is a front view of the sixth embodiment of the invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 25  is a rear view of the sixth embodiment;  
         [0036]      FIG. 26  is a right side view of the sixth embodiment;  
         [0037]      FIG. 27  is a front view of the finger gear wheel of the sixth embodiment;  
         [0038]      FIG. 28  is a rear view of the finger gear wheel of the sixth embodiment;  
         [0039]      FIG. 29  is an exploded perspective view of the sixth embodiment; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 30  is a front view of the sixth embodiment showing number  1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0041]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-7  illustrate the first embodiment, which is a wrist swim lap counter  10 . Swim lap counter  10  consists of (1) a finger gear wheel  1 , with an axis  4 ; (2) a front cover  11  with four eyelets  13 - 16 ; (3) a rear cover  12 ; (4) a pad  20 ; and (5) a cord  30  with a cord lock  31 .  
         [0042]     Refer to  FIG. 4 . Finger gear wheel  1  has eight gears. Numbers 1-8 are printed equally in a circle around the center on the front surface. Each number relates to a gear.  
         [0043]     Refer to  FIGS. 1 and 3 . Wheel  1  is placed between a front cover  11  and a rear cover  12 . Wheel  1  and covers  11  are made from flat soft plastic sheet by die cutting. The thickness of wheel  1  and covers  11 - 12  is about 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm and 1 mm respectively. When they are placed together to form lap counter  10 , the height is less than 2 mm, and the weight is less than 5 gram. Front cover  11  and rear cover  12  have same outline and shape of near rectangle about 5 cm×3 cm. Front cover  11  is visible by a swimmer in swimming. An advantage of the wrist swim lap counter of the invention is that material cost of plastic sheet and cord is low, thus a swimmer can have it at a low price such as less than one dollar. Other advantages are battery free, waterproof, and very simple operation.  
         [0044]     Refer to  FIGS. 1 and 5 . Covers  11 - 12  are fastened together by four eyelets  13 - 16 . Wheel  1  is fixed to covers  11 - 12  by a bent axis  4 . Wheel  1  can rotate around axis  4 . Wheel  1  is placed between covers  11 - 12 , thus its front surface touches the surface of covers  11 , and its rear surface touches the surface of cover  12 . Four eyelets  13 - 16  and bent axis  4  exert pressure to let these surfaces touch. As wheel  1  and cover  11  are soft plastic, so these surfaces fully touch each other under the pressure. The fully touched soft plastic surfaces will generate reliable and steady friction force when wheel  1  rotates. Further, wheel  1  is so thin about 0.4 mm that it restricts swimming water to generate strong force onto wheel. Thus, the friction force resists wheel  1  from randomly rotating when a swimmer strikes and beats lap counter  10  in the water in swimming. In order to rotate wheel  1 , a swimmer needs to use finger&#39;s force to overcome this friction. As this friction force is reliable and steady, so the swimmer has a consistent feeling each time he rotates the wheel.  
         [0045]     Refer to  FIG. 1 . Front cover  11  has a window or a hole  5 , which is so small as to just show one of numbers  1 - 8  of wheel  1 . Covers  11 - 12  hides wheel  1 , but they have a gap  6 , which uncovers one gear of wheel  1 . Uncovered gear  3  can be touched and dialed by a swimmer, and the number that relates to uncovered gear  3  shows in window  5 .  
         [0046]     When a swimmer wants to count one more lap after he travels a lap, he dials uncovered gear  3  to edge  7  of gap  6 . Thus, wheel  1  rotates a gear, current uncovered gear  3  moves inside covers  11 - 12 , but another gear moves out from covers  11 - 12  to become a new uncovered gear  3 , and the number (i.e. next lap number) relating to the new uncovered gear  3  shows in window  5 .  
         [0047]     A finger can touch any portion of edge  2  of gear  3  to rotate wheel  1 . To ensure exactly move one gear for a dial, edge  2  is designed to have same curve as edge  7  (the portion that stop the finger) of gap  6 . So as long as edge  7  stops a finger, even if the finger may dial at the different portion of edge  2 , wheel  1  rotates exact same amount of 360/8=45 degree, and the number relating to new uncovered gear  3  shows entirely in window  5 .  
         [0048]     Refer to  FIGS. 2 and 6 . A soft rubber or plastic pad  20  is placed under rear cover  12 . When a swimmer wears lap counter  10 , pad  20  lifts it on wrist  40 , so his finger can dial gear  3 .  
         [0049]     Refer to  FIG. 2 . In swimming, especially freestyle, water force  8  is strong enough to flip lap counter  10  and drive gear  3  to jab wrist  40 .  
         [0050]     Refer to  FIGS. 1-2 . Pad  20 , four eyelets  13 - 16 , cord  30  and cord lock  31  are designed to work together to overcome flipping. Cord  30  goes through eyelets  13 - 16  to tie lap counter  10  to wrist  40 . Cord  30  starts from cord lock  31 , cord portion  32  goes around wrist  40  to eyelet  13 , portion  33  goes to eyelet  15 , portion  34  goes around wrist  40  to eyelet  16 , portion  35  to eyelet  14 , and finally portion  36  goes around wrist  40  back to cord lock  31 .  
         [0051]     When a swimmer wants to wear lap counter  10  to wrist  40 , he holds cord lock  41  and pulls, cord portion  34  is tied to wrist  40  first; and then he opens cord lock  31  and moves it to near wrist  40  to tie cord portion  32 / 36 . Now lap counter  10  is tied firmly at four corners by two parallel cord portions  34  and  32 / 36  onto wrist  50 .  
         [0052]     Refer to  FIGS. 1-2  and  6 . Pad  20  ends before eyelets  13 - 14 , so there is a space  21  between pad  20  and cord portion  32 / 36 . When cord  30  is tied tightly, due to space  21 , lap counter  10  inclines to form a lowered left side  17  and a heightened right side  18 . Lowered left side  17  reduces water force  8  that flips lap counter  10 , and lets cord portion  32 / 36  generate more force to pull back lap counter  10  whenever water flips it. As well as heighten right side  18  prevents gear  3  to jab wrist  40 , and lets a swimmer to dial gear  3  easily.  
         [0053]     It is possible to use a wedge pad  22  instead of pad  20 . Wedge pad  22  is comfortable on wrist, as its whole surface touches wrist. When wedge pad  22  is placed under rear cover  12 , lap counter  10  also inclines to have advantages described above.  
         [0054]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 8-10  illustrate the second embodiment of the invention, which is swim lap counter  50 . The differences between the first and the second embodiments are that lap counter  50  has an oval shape, uses a semi-circle pad  54 , and has eyelet  51 - 52  away from front end  53  of pad  54 , which lets cord portion  34  also generate force to pull back lap counter  50  whenever water flips it around end  53 . Except the differences, the second embodiment has the same structure and operation principle as the first embodiment. Refer to the description of the first embodiment for understanding the second embodiment.  
         [0055]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 11-13  illustrate a third embodiment, which is wrist lap counter  60 . Lap counter  60  has the same internal structure and operation principle as the first embodiment. However it is designed to have an oval or olive shape, and use two eyelets  62 - 63  to fasten covers. A cord  61  simply ties to eyelets  62 - 63  for user to wear on wrist.  
         [0056]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 14-18  illustrate the fourth embodiment, which is swim lap counter  70 . Lap counter  60  of the third embodiment tends to flip in swimming. Comparing with lap counter  60 , lap counter  70  uses a circle bent axis  73  to generate pressure, has two eyelets  62 - 63  and cord  61  left shifted  72 , and uses a wedge pad  74 . Lowered left side  71  reduces water force  8 , and lifted right side  75  prevents gear  3  to jab wrist  40 . Further left shifted cord  61  and lowered left side  71  let cord  61  to generate more force to pull back lap counter  70  whenever water flips it around right side  75 .  
         [0057]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 19-23  illustrate the fifth embodiment, which is swim lap counter  80 . Comparing with lap counter  60 , lap counter  80  is fastened on a wristband, and has a transparent front cover  82 . As numbers 1-8 of wheel  1  is visible through transparent cover  82 , so an opaque  FIG. 83  is printed on cover  82 , which just allows one of numbers 1-8 is visible through cover  82 .  
         [0058]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 24-30  illustrate the sixth embodiment, which is a hand lap counter. The lap counter is held in hand, and the lap number is visible on both sides. A bent axis exerts pressure between surfaces of wheel and covers to generate friction.  
         [0059]     It is clear that lap counters of the invention can also be used to count small number for other purposes such as counting laps for runners and cyclists, and counting strokes for golfers. It is clear that finger gear wheel can have other number of gears; the wheel, the covers and the pad can have other shapes; window  5  can be at different location on front cover; and rear cover and pad can integrate to form a component.