Hydrostatic balancing jacket for underwater diving

Abstract: Hydrostatic balancing jacket for underwater diving, comprising a dorsal element (1) from which there proceed two shoulder flaps (2) and two abdominal/pectoral flaps (3), each shoulder flap (2) being connectable to the corresponding abdominal/pectoral flap (3) by means of straps (102, 202) provided with buckles (112, 212), which can be adjusted on the said straps (202), just as the said abdominal/pectoral flaps (3) are connectable together by means of straps (103, 203, 703, 803) provided with buckles (113, 213, 713, 813); the free ends (222, 123, 223, 723, 823) of said straps (202, 103, 203, 703, 803) may be inserted in a number of housings (303, 403, 503) made in the said flaps (3).

Description: The present invention relates to hydrostatic balancing jacket for underwater diving. Such jacket is, since a long time, considered a fundamental accessory for underwater diving, capable of guaranteeing a positive, negative or hydrostatically neutral thrust to the user, according to his needs. Normally, the jackets of this type present on the front two shoulder flaps that are fastened to the pectoral/abdominal portion by means of buckles or similar means of connection, whilst one or two buckles enable closing of the said pectoral/abdominal portion. Such a jacket is described in document US 4 990 115. The buckles, which are usually of the quick-release type, are mounted so that they are adjustable on suitable straps so as to enable them to be adapted to the user of the jacket. In this way, however, the ends of said straps remain free, and hence may easily get caught up in rocks or similar obstacles that the underwater diver may come close to during diving, thus creating situations of effective danger. Furthermore, they may cause trouble to the diver as he is handling his equipment which is by now rather complex (flexible tube for his breathing apparatus, auxiliary tubes, etc.). Finally, the strap ends also cause an increase in friction during swimming. In addition, the connecting buckles of the shoulder flaps are arranged in positions that are particularly exposed to accidental impact, thus diminishing the safety of the connection itself. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a balancing jacket in which the straps are provided with buckles for closing and connecting the flaps of the jacket so that they are not able to get caught up in anything or to hinder the users movements in any way. Object of the present invention is thus a hydrostatic balancing jacket for underwater diving, comprising a dorsal element from which there proceed two shoulder flaps and two abdominal/pectoral flaps, each shoulder flap being connectable to the corresponding abdominal/pectoral flap by means of straps provided with buckles, which can be adjusted on the said straps, just as the said abdominal/pectoral flaps are connectable together by means of straps provided with buckles; characterized in that the free ends of said straps may be inserted in a number of housings made in the said abdominal/pectoral flaps. In particular, said housings may comprise both a number of openings communicating with as many pockets made in said flaps or applied on the latter, and a number of openings communicating with a single large pocket, made by applying a lappet of material on each of said flaps. In addition, the buckles of the straps that connect the shoulder flaps to the pectoral/abdominal flaps or the said flaps to one another may be advantageously inserted in appropriate housings, made in said flaps or applied on the latter. Further advantages and characteristics of the present invention will appear more evident from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, given to provide a non-limiting example, with reference to the single plate of drawings attached, where: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the balancing jacket according to the present invention, Figure 1 illustrates the balancing jacket according to the present invention. By 1 is designated the dorsal portion of the jacket. From said dorsal portion 1 there proceed, made of a single piece with the said dorsal portion, two shoulder flaps 2 and two pectoral/abdominal flaps 3. To each of said shoulder flaps 2 is connected a strap 102 to which is fastened the female element 112 of a quick-release buckle, the male element 212 of which is fastened to the belt 202, which proceeds from the respective facing pectoral/abdominal flap 3. The strap 102 and the female element 112 of the buckle are housed in the pocket 302 applied on the shoulder flap 2, which is accessible to the male element 212 and provided, on both the major sides, with two openings 312 which enable operations of release of the buckle. The end 222 of the strap 202 on which the male element 212 of the buckle is fastened is inserted in the opening 303 formed in the lappet 603 of material applied on the flap 3. In the same way, the straps 103, 203, 703, and 803 which fasten the respective closing mechanisms of the two abdominal/pectoral flaps of the jacket by means of respective female and male quick-release buckle elements 113, 213, 713, and 813 present free ends 123, 223, 723, and 823 that are inserted in the openings 503 and 403 formed in the lappets 603 applied on the flaps 3. How the jacket according to the present invention works will appear evident from what follows. As has already been described previously, the connection between the shoulder straps 2 and the abdominal/pectoral flaps 3 is by means of straps provided with buckles, in particular quick-release buckles. For each pair of straps to be used for a connection, at least one of the two is adjustable lengthwise. The free end of the adjusted strap, which would thus be in a likely condition to get in the way of the user, is tucked away in a suitable housing, i.e., in an opening formed in the lappet that is applied on the flap to which the strap originating the said end is connected, communicating with the inside of the pocket formed by superposition of the lappet of material on said flap. In this way, the ends of the straps are no longer able to get caught up in any obstacles and can thus no longer cause trouble to the diver during diving. The openings in which the ends are inserted can communicate with a single pocket originated, as illustrated, by the overlapping of the lappets 603 on the flaps 3, or else they can be in communication with a number of pockets, formed directly in the flap or applied on the flap. In addition, the buckles that enable connection may themselves also be inserted in housings made, in the form of a pocket, like the pocket 302 formed on the shoulder strap 2, in such a way as to make the connection between the flaps of the jacket more secure and better protected. These housings can be made by applying material on said flaps or else by forming the housing inside the flap itself.

Claims: Hydrostatic balancing jacket for underwater diving, comprising a dorsal element (1) from which there proceed two shoulder flaps (2) and two abdominal/pectoral flaps (3), each shoulder flap (2) being connectable to the corresponding abdominal/pectoral flap (3) by means of straps (102, 202) provided with buckles (112, 212), which can be adjusted on the said straps (202), just as the said abdominal/pectoral flaps (3) are connectable together by means of straps (103, 203, 703, 803),provided with buckles (113, 213, 713, 813) ; characterized in that the free ends (222, 123, 223, 723, 823) of said straps (202, 103, 203, 703, 803) may be inserted in a number of housings (303, 403, 503) made in the said abdominal/pectoral flaps (3). Hydrostatic balancing jacket according to Claim 1, in which the said housings comprise a number of openings (303, 403, 503) made on a lappet (603) applied on each of the said flaps (3) to form a single large pocket. Hydrostatic balancing jacket according to Claim 1, in which the said housings comprise a number of pockets applied on each of the said flaps (3). Hydrostatic balancing jacket according to any one of the previous claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that the said buckles are of the quick-release type comprising a male element (212, 213, 813) and a female element (112, 113, 713). Hydrostatic balancing jacket according to Claim 4, in which the said female element (112, 113, 713) of the said buckles is inserted in a housing (302), which is accessible to the said male element (212, 213, 813) and provided with openings (312) which enable operations of release of the buckle. Hydrostatic balancing jacket according to Claim 5, in which the said housing comprises a pocket (302) applied on the flap to which is connected the strap (102) carrying the female element (112) of the said buckle.

Inventors: SEMEIA ROBERTO, SEMEIA, ROBERTO
Applicants: SCUBAPRO EUROP, SCUBAPRO EUROPE S.R.L.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B63C11
IPC codes: A45C13, B63C11