Swimming fin with buckle for fastening the heel strap

Abstract: Fin with buckle (3) for securing the heel strap (2) to the open-shoe type fin, in which said buckle (3) comprises: a base piece (103) on the side of the fin next to the socket (201) for the foot; an intermediate lever (203) hinged at one end in said base piece (103); and an end piece (303) bearing at one end the means (403) for connection to said strap (2), while its other end is hinged at a point on said intermediate lever (203) between the end hinged to the base piece (103) and the free end (243).

Description: The present invention relates to swimming fins, especialy the open-shoe type of swimming fin with a heel strap secured to both sides of the foot socket, and relates more particularly to a buckle for adjustably fastening the strap to the fin. Many combinations for swimming fins of this kind are known in the prior art. US Patent No. 4,795,385 discloses a swimming fin that comprises a heel strap attached to the opposite sides of the foot socket by means of a buckle consisting of two parts that fit one inside the other with a snap action. The fin having a buckle fitted with such a closure device does, however, have many disadvantages. In the first place, closure systems such as those disclosed in the US patent cited above require that the strap tension be adjusted each time the fin is put on because in order to fit the two parts of the buckle together it is necessary to slacken the length of strap. Moreover, closing, unlike releasing, always requires the use of both hands. There are also problems relating to carrying the fins once the buckle has been released: in order that the strap can be used as a hand grip for carrying the fin, it has to be refastened. This feature also creates a risk when unfastening the buckle before, for example, climbing into a boat, because the fin may slip out of the hand and be lost. Another problem arises if the underwater user of the fin wears gloves, which are usually quite thick, as these make it very difficult to fasten and unfasten the buckle whether in or out of the water. Document US-A-3 940 815 describes a swim fin provided with means for quick releasing of the strap adapted to bear against the user's heel. Said means comprise: a bracket secured to a lug protruding from the fin and integral to the same; a lever hinged at one end to an edge of the said bracket; and a link, at one end pivotally connected to said lever intermediate the ends of said lever, said link being V-shaped and connected at the other end to said strap. The lever is pivotally mounted on the bracket so as to locate the outwardly a distance from the foot receiving portion, then defining, an overcenter toggle system. Due to the aforementioned construction, the quick release mechanism in its closed position projects sidewise from the fin by a substantial degree. The said feature is very objectionable. So for instance due to the said feature it is practically impossible to provide a fin with bilateral quick-release mechanism, and it is further not advisable to provide said mechanism on the confronting sides of the fins, since by so doing there is a danger that the two confronting mechanisms may come into contact one with the other during swimming, which could also cause unintentional release of one of said mechanisms. This means that always there will be a right- and left-handed fin. Moreover, in order to substitute the mechanism of US-A-3 940 815 in case that same becomes damaged, this may be done only by the aid of tools. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a buckle for a swim fin of the above mentioned kind, that will overcome the disadvantages of the known systems of the prior art. The subject of the invention is therefore a swim fin comprising: an open shoe type fin with a socket for the foot of the user, and provided a heel strap for securing the fin to the heel of the foot of the user and further comprising at least one buckle for securing said heel strap to the open shoe type fin, wherein said buckle comprises a base piece, said base piece comprising a wall piece and two lateral flanges perpendicular thereto; means for securing said base piece on the side of the fin next to the socket for the foot; an intermediate lever hinged at one end in said base piece; and an end piece bearing at one end the means for connection to said strap, while its other end is hinged at a point on said intermediate lever between the end hinged to the base piece and the free end, said free end of the intermediate lever and the lateral flanges of the base piece being engaged in mutual locking by mutual locking means. Advantageously, said means for the connection of said strap allow for its length to be adjusted. Further advantages and characteristics will be clear from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the buckle according to the invention made,for illustrative purposes and without implying any restriction, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a fin with a buckle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view in lateral elevation on an enlarged scale, with parts in section, of the buckle of the fin illustrated in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a plan view with parts in section of the buckle illustrated in Fig. 2; and Figure 4 is a view taken in section through the line IV-IV of Fig. 3. With reference to the drawings, and with particular reference to Figure 1, the numeral 1 indicates a swimming fin of the type comprising, as is entirely usual, a blade portion 101 and a socket or shoe 201 in which the user's foot is placed, this socket 201 being open at the heel end. The fin has a heel strap 2 for retaining the user's foot. The two ends of the strap 2 are each secured to a buckle 3 according to the invention, said buckles being connected in turn in such a way as to be able to pivot about pins 211 formed integrally with, and projecting laterally from, the sides of the socket 201, as will be explained further below. With particular reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4, a buckle 3 will now be described. This buckle comprises three parts hinged to each other, namely: a base piece 103, an intermediate lever 203 and an end piece 303 for connection to the end of the strap 2. The base piece 103 is basically U-shaped in cross section and comprises a wall piece 103' and two lateral flanges 113. In the wall piece 103' is a slot 133, at one end of which is a passage of greater diameter to allow the head 211' of the pins 211 to pass through it, while at the other end, near one end of the piece 103', this passage narrows down to the diameter of the pins 211 themselves. At the opposite end of the piece 103, the two lateral flanges 113 are provided with two through holes 123 in axial alignment with each other, in which pivot pins 223 carried by the intermediate piece 203 engage. The intermediate piece 203 takes the form of a fork-shaped piece comprising two arms 213 connected together at one end by a crosspiece 243. The free ends of the arms 213 carry the pins 223 that enable it to pivot on the base piece 103. In the middle of these arms are two through holes 253 in axial alignment for the passage of a pin 233 on which the end piece 303 pivots, as will be described below. In a position on the arms 213 between the intermediate hinge point and their free ends is a lateral recess 253 which, when the buckle is closed, engages in a snap action with the projection 143 formed on the flanges 113 of the piece 103. The end piece 303 is approximately T-shaped, the leg of the T having a through hole 313 through which, during assembly, the central part of the pin 233 is passed. Attached to the head of the piece 303 is the piece 403 for retaining and adjusting the heel strap 2. This piece comprises, in a manner known per se, a parallelepipedal box body 403 whose underside is open and whose topside comprises a pivoting cover 413 connected to the side walls of the body 403 by two pins 423 inserted in holes 433 in said walls. Said cover comprises a cylindrical stud 473 on the inner face of its rear end which engages with one end of a helical spring 493, the opposite end of which is held in a similar stud 483 projecting from the bottom of said box body 403. Towards its front end, the cover 413 has a raised bar 463 on the face turned towards the interior of the body 403, and this cooperates with a roller 443 held in the holes 423' in the side walls of the body 403 through which the strap 2 is guided. The operation of the buckle described above will be clear from the following. With the buckle 3 in the open position, that is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the user places his foot in the socket 201 of the fin 1. At this point the buckle 3 is closed: the lever 203 is pushed towards the base 103 by applying pressure on the free end 243 of said lever. The arm 303 connected to it by the pin 233 inserted through the holes 263 in the prongs 213 of the lever and through the hole 313 in said arm 303, is pulled towards the base 103. Complete closure is effected when the teeth 143 on the flanges 113 are inserted in the recesses 253 of the prongs 213. Conversely, by pushing the free end 243 of the lever up and disengaging the teeth 143 from the recesses 253, the buckle 3 is opened. Once the buckle has been closed, the length of the strap 2 can be adjusted in a known manner by means of the connection means 403. It will also be obvious that the fin cannot slip from the diver's foot even if the buckle 3 is opened because the strap 2 still passes around the heel. Clearly, the fact that opening the buckle does not involve completely disengaging the strap from one side of the socket means that the fin can be carried with greater ease. The effort required to close and open said buckle 3 is very small and at any rate requires the use of only one hand, unlike known devices. Furthermore, the ease with which the free end 243 of the lever 203 can be gripped in order to open or close the buckle 3 makes it possible to do so even if the user is wearing diving gloves, which are usually fairly thick and therefore restrict a person's movements.

Claims: A swim fin comprising: an open shoe type fin (1) with a socket (201) for the foot of the user, and provided a heel strap (2) for securing the fin to the heel of the foot of the user and further comprising at least one buckle (3) for securing said heel strap to the open shoe type fin (1), wherein said buckle (3) comprises a base piece (103), said base piece (103) comprises a wall piece(103') and two lateral flanges perpendicular thereto; means (133-211') for securing said base piece on the side of the fin next to the socket (201) for the foot; an intermediate lever (203) hinged at one end in said base piece (103); and an end piece (303) bearing at one end the means (403) for connection to said strap (2), while its other end is hinged at a point on said intermediate lever (203) between the end hinged to the base piece (103) and the free end (243), characterized by the fact that said free end (243) of the intermediate lever (203) and the lateral flanges (113) of the base piece (103) are engaged in mutual locking by mutual locking means (143, 253). Fin according to Claim 1, in which said means (403), for the connection of said strap (2) also allow for its length to be adjusted. Fin according to Claim 1 or 2, in which said intermediate lever (203) is essentially fork-shaped, and the arms (213) of the intermediate lever point towards the base piece (103) and are connected to it, said end piece (303) being inserted in the loop formed between said arms (213) of said intermediate lever (203). Fin according to anyone of the preceeding Claims, in which said mutual locking means comprise projections (143) provided on the inner surface of the said lateral flanges (113), that engage with recesses (253) present on the outer surface of said intermediate lever (203). Fin according to Claim 4, in which said mutual locking means comprise recesses provided on the inner surface of the said lateral flanges (113), that engage with projections present on the outer surface of said intermediate lever (203).

Inventors: GAROFALO GIOVANNI, GAROFALO, GIOVANNI
Applicants: HTM SPORT SPA, HTM SPORT S.P.A.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A63B31
IPC codes: A63B31