Swimming support structure

The invention provides a mobile structure that can be used in any water body having a relatively uniform floor and a calm surface (i.e., beach, lake or pool). This structure has multiple hold and leaning surfaces and/or elements that lie flush and below the water level providing people with disabilities and older people a solid support structure to hold, sit, stand or lean while performing adapted swimming activities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adapted swimming is an excellent therapeutic and recreational option for people with disabilities, older people and people with motor difficulties. For that reason, there is a need to provide a secure and protected structure where a person could lean or hold while performing any aquatic activity. However, there is no such structure available at a beach and a person with disability is limited to use floating devices or if physically capable, the person could hold to a buoy or cords that do not provide the necessary static support and security required. Even at a pool, the only solid structural support available is limited to its borders, were a person can't achieve an optimum hold needed to perform adapted swimming and his/her positioning options are very limited (i.e., in front or against a side wall).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a mobile structure that can be used in any water body having a relatively uniform floor. According to an aspect of the invention, the structure has multiple hold and leaning surfaces and/or elements that lie flush and below the water level providing people with disabilities and older people a solid support structure to hold, sit, stand or lean while performing adapted swimming activities.

The present invention is intended not only for people with disabilities but for people that do not know how to swim, children learning how to swim or any other person that feels insecure in the water by using the support structure to float, swim or even dive.

According to another aspect of the invention, the support structure preferably comprises a plurality of PVC pipes with a perpendicular base forming inverted T-shaped supports.

According to a further aspect of the invention, these pipes are interconnected by means of transversal PVC pipe pairs of smaller diameter to facilitate holding. Each pair of connecting pipes extend in parallel between the plurality of PVC pipes so that one of them lies flush with the water level and the other lies below water level at a distance appropriate for a person to sit on it while maintaining the head above the water level.

According to another aspect of the invention, the transversal pipes are height adjustable with respect to the supporting pipes, allowing installation of the structure to inclined surfaces or irregular depths.

According to one aspect of the invention, the most basic configuration of the support structure comprises 3 pipes joined by the transversal pipes forming a triangular shape. This distribution maximizes the structural stability of the system by preventing the structure from tipping over by the lateral forces applied at different points of the structure.

According to another aspect of the invention, the structure is completely modular so that it can be installed in a variety of configurations that accommodate to the amount of users, type of activity, distance between and instructor and users and desired privacy among others.

According to still another aspect of the invention, the system can be provided with rigid or semi-rigid seats, flags, audible indicators, drink holders, flotation equipment and water-proof illumination attached to the pipes among others.

Throughout the figures, the same reference numbers and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like elements, components, portions or features of the illustrated embodiments. The subject invention will be described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in view of the illustrative embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The proposed invention comprises a mobile structure that can be used in any water body having a relatively uniform floor and a calm surface (i.e., beach, lake or pool). This structure has multiple hold and leaning surfaces and/or elements that lie flush and below the water level providing people with disabilities and older people a solid support structure to hold, sit, stand or lean while performing adapted swimming activities. The present invention is intended not only for people with disabilities but for people that do not know how to swim, children learning how to swim or any other person that feels insecure in the water by using the support structure to float, swim or even dive. Individuals with severe mobility limitations such as: spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral trauma, cerebral-vascular injury, cerebral palsy, and amputations constitute the main group which will benefit from this invention and where the benefits in terms of aquatherapy and adapted swimming are more evident.

The swimming support structure of the invention comprises a plurality of pipes with a perpendicular base forming inverted T-shaped supports as shown inFIG. 1. The base2comprises a substantially horizontal pipe2bstructurally attached to a perpendicular pipe2aby means of a union2c. Pipes2aand2bare easily removed apart from the union2cfor ease of transportation or storage.

Plural bases2are interconnected by means of a pair of transversal pipes3aof smaller diameter that facilitate holding and stability between them. Each pair of connecting pipes extend in parallel between the plurality of bases2and are attached to said bases by means of clamps3bas shown inFIG. 2. Transversal pipes3acan be easily removed from said clamps3bfor ease of transportation or storage. In an embodiment of the invention, transversal pipes3aare selectively configured so that one of them lies substantially flush with the water level and the other lies below water level at a distance appropriate for a person to sit on it while maintaining the head above the water level. Thus, according to the invention the transversal pipes3aare height adjustable with respect to the water level and/or the sea floor by selectively sliding clamps3balong the length of pipes2a, allowing adapting the structure to inclined surfaces or irregular depths as shown inFIG. 2.

In its most basic configuration, the support structure of the present invention comprises three bases2joined by the transversal pipes3aforming a triangular shape as shown inFIG. 3. This distribution maximizes the structural stability of the system by preventing the structure from tipping over by the lateral forces applied at different points of the structure. In a preferred embodiment, the system is sold as a basic kit having all the parts as shown inFIG. 3. Additional parts can be acquired separately.

In operation, a user would install the system by inserting the appropriate pipes2a,2binto union2cto form the base2as shown inFIG. 1. The user repeats this process to as necessary to have all the necessary bases2to form any desire configuration as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4. Clamps3bare already installed on pipe2aor alternatively the user could attach them manually. Then, the user proceeds to insert a pair of transversal pipes3ainto the clamps3bof adjacent bases2as shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3. This process is repeated as many times as needed to form any desired configuration as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4. As previously explained, transversal pipes3aare slidably adjusted on said pipe2ain relation to the sea floor surface to ensure that the upper transversal pipe3aremains substantially at water level and that the lower transversal pipe3aremains at a level where a user could seat comfortably.FIG. 5shows one practical use of the swimming structure according to the present invention.

The structure of the present invention is completely modular so that it can be installed in a variety of configurations that accommodate to the amount of users, type of activity, distance between instructor and users and desired privacy among others as shown inFIG. 4. For security purposes, the pipes may include diagonal cords and buoys to mark the location and limits of the supporting bases so that the users avoid undesired contact with the bases and have a clear indication of the provided limits.

The pipes2band the superior portion of the pipes2ainclude threaded lids2das shown inFIG. 1that facilitate transportation and installation in any desired place. For example, before entering the swimming structure into the water the lids2dcan be closed while the pipes are filled with air to facilitate flotation and movement of the structure to a desired location inside the water. Once the desired location is reached, the lids2dare removed allowing the water to enter the pipe and forcing the pipe structure to submerge until it reaches the supporting floor surface. Alternatively, the pipes could be filled with a filling material such as but not limtied to sand to increase the weight of the system and increase its structural stability if necessary. When removing the water from the equipment, the lids2dcan be removed to get rid of the sand and facilitate its transportation. The transversal pipes3ahave small openings on the upper and lower portions of each end to allow the free flow of water when submerging and removing the equipment from the water as shown inFIG. 6. The lower transversal pipes of the equipment can be used to stand of sit directly on them. However, rigid or semi-rigid seats10can also be attached to the pipes for providing better support to users with poor torsal control as shown inFIG. 7. These pipes are also used to hold in place the legs of a user with paraplegia or quadriplegia avoiding unvoluntary floating causing to user to be in an undesired position inside the water like facing down. Alternatively, several accessories can be attached to the equipment such as flags12to visually identify the location of the structure, audible indicators11, drink holders13, and flotation equipment14among others as shown inFIG. 8. Straps can also be used to provide upper and lower extremities with proper support according to individual needs of the users. Removable water-proof illumination15is also provided to ensure proper visibility during night or dark environments.

Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, this embodiment does not serve to limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications are possible, without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.