Dry Snorkel

A snorkel adapter apparatus is disclosed. The snorkel adapter apparatus includes a snorkel tube, a float, a mouthpiece, and a single pivot point. These pieces combined together create a snorkel breathing apparatus that allows the user to submerge the snorkel in water and prevent water from entering the snorkel tube and mouthpiece. When the snorkel is submerged in water, the float rotates around a coupler attached to the pivot attachment point and closes the open end of the snorkel tube. The buoyancy of the float in the water causes it to rotate and seal the snorkel tube closed.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A perspective view of a snorkel adapter apparatus10is shown inFIG. 10. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a snorkel tube100, a mouthpiece200, a float300, and a pivot attachment point400. These components work together to create a snorkel adapter apparatus10that closes when submerged in water to keep water from entering the snorkel tube100. The snorkel tube100comprises a first end110where the mouthpiece200is coupled to the snorkel tube100, and a second end120where the float300is coupled to the snorkel tube100. When above water, the second end120of the snorkel tube100remains open to enable a diver to breathe through the mouthpiece200. In the preferred embodiment, the snorkel tube100is curved130at the second end120.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, the float300is coupled to the snorkel tube100via a pivot attachment point400. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot attachment point400is located at the curve130of the second end120of the snorkel tube100. More specifically, the curve130at the second end120of the snorkel tube100forms an axis150. The float300is then rotatably coupled about the axis150of the curve130with a coupler140. Preferably, the coupler140is a pin, screw, or any other coupler that allows the float300to rotate about the axis150. In the preferred embodiment, the float300has a substantially similar curve shape310as the curve130of the second end120of the snorkel tube100. These curves130and310define the axis150upon which the float300rotates.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the snorkel tube100has two prongs170that project from the curve130of the snorkel tube100. These two prongs170include holes175that form the axis150upon which the float300is rotatably coupled to the snorkel tube100. Additionally, the float300comprises two legs410with holes420as seen inFIGS. 1-3. The holes420on the legs410of the float300fit on the outside of the prongs170on the snorkel tube100, and the holes175and420in each line up and form the pivot attachment point400upon which the float300rotates. The coupler140fits through the four holes175and420on each piece and allows the float300to rotate about the axis150. As stated above, the coupler140that attaches these pieces can be a pin, screw, or any other coupler that allows the float300to rotate. In the preferred embodiment, the coupler140is a pin that is made of plastic.

The float300may be in a closed position340as shown inFIG. 5or an open position350as shown inFIG. 6. When above water, the float300opens so that air can enter the snorkel tube100and flow to the diver through the mouthpiece200. When submerged under water or engulfed by a wave, the float300rotates to the closed position340by rotating the coupler140along the pivot attachment point400so that water is prevented from entering the snorkel tube100and the mouthpiece200.

In the preferred embodiment, the float300is made of a material that is buoyant in water, such as plastic, foam, or related material. In an alternate embodiment, the float300can be made of a non-buoyant material that creates an air chamber that acts as a float300. When the float300is submerged in water or is engulfed by a wave, it rotates upward to the closed position340on the coupler140attached to the pivot attachment point400because of its buoyancy. As seen inFIGS. 1-3, the float300further comprises a free end320and a gasket end330. When the float300rotates to the closed position340, the gasket end330comes into contact with the second end120of the snorkel tube100that is open to the air. The gasket end330of the float300further comprises a gasket seal360that fits into the second end120of the snorkel tube100and seals the second end120of the snorkel tube100closed. The gasket seal360is made of a material such as rubber or plastic that will prevent water from entering the snorkel tube100.

In the preferred embodiment, the gasket seal360shown inFIGS. 4is in the shape of a ring. It securely fits onto the gasket end330of the float300to prevent water from entering the snorkel tube100. Preferably, the gasket seal360fits over a rounded protrusion370on the gasket end330of the float300. The protrusion370fits into the second end120of the snorkel tube100such that water is prohibited from entering the snorkel tube100, and allows the protrusion370to easily release from the second end120of the snorkel tube100when the snorkel tube100emerges from the water, and the float300rotates to the open position350. The gasket seal360aids in properly sealing the protrusion370of the gasket end330to the second end120of the snorkel tube100so that water does not enter the snorkel tube100. In an alternate embodiment not shown, the gasket seal360may be located on the second end120of the snorkel tube100. It functions the same as when it is attached to the gasket end330of the float300.

The float300shown inFIGS. 1-4shows the free end320and the gasket end330of the float300in several different views.FIGS. 1-3show views of the float300with the coupler140inserted through the holes420in the legs410of the float300. Also shown inFIG. 4is the gasket seal360detached from the float300. As seen inFIGS. 2,3and4, the free end320of the float300is contoured so that when the float300is in the open position350, the free end320fits against the snorkel tube100.

In an alternate embodiment, shown inFIGS. 7,8, and9, the float300is attached directly to the snorkel tube100via a coupler140. Instead of two prongs170projecting from the curved part of the snorkel tube100, the pivot attachment point400is directly on the snorkel tube100. The float300still rotates about the coupler140on the pivot attachment point400to close the second end120of the snorkel tube100. The shape of the float300, however, is slightly different in this alternate embodiment.

Here, the float300is curved and is substantially the shape of a half circle. The holes420and legs410of the float300are an integral part of the float300. The free end320of the float300includes the legs410and holes420through which the coupler140is inserted. The legs410are a distance apart from each other such that they fit around the snorkel tube100. In this embodiment, the snorkel tube100includes a hole180drilled through at least one side so that the coupler140can couple the float300to the snorkel tube100.

Further, in this embodiment, the free end320of the float300, when in the open position350, as shown inFIG. 7, rests against the second end120of the snorkel tube100. When in the closed position340, as shown inFIG. 8, the gasket end330seals the second end120of the snorkel tube100to prevent water from entering. The gasket seal360fits onto the float300the same way as in the preferred embodiment. The rounded protrusion370on the gasket end330of the float300fits into the second end120of the snorkel tube100. The gasket seal360fits around the protrusion370and seals water out of the snorkel tube100and mouthpiece200.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the Description of Preferred Embodiments. While these descriptions directly describe the one embodiment, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations that fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included therein as well. Unless specifically noted, it is the intention of the inventor that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meanings to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art(s). The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment and best mode of the invention known to the applicant at the time of filing the application has been presented and is intended for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in the light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.