Abstract:
A transportable support system for underwater dive equipment that is durable, lightweight, adjustable, and compact, allowing the diver to effectively and rapidly secure his fins, regulator assembly, mask, and various other items for storage and/or transport. The support system can be employed with a “hands free” design via the use of a shoulder strap, or secured in a dive bag or suitcase for airline travel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to underwater diving generally and more specifically to a support system for organizing and securing underwater dive equipment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    When diving your equipment is your life. Malfunctioning of equipment can, at the very least, result in a ruined dive vacation, and at the worst, result in serious injury or death. For this reason, dive enthusiasts will spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on equipment. Necessary equipment includes: fins, mask, primary and back-up regulator, high pressure adaptor (tank hook-up), gauge cluster, a buoyancy compensation device (BCD), and an air tank, all of which are essential for a safe dive. In addition, a diver could have a wet suit, a snorkel, a flashlight, an underwater buoy, a line marker, a dive knife, a camera, and dive computers. All of these mission critical, expensive, and cumbersome items need to make it to the dive shop and from the dive shop to the diving location, which can be a lengthy boat ride, or often a drive, followed by an overland hike to a drop-in site. 
         [0003]    Thus there exists a need for a transportable support system for organizing and securing mission critical dive equipment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]    In accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention, an object of the present invention is to provide a support system for organizing essential dive equipment for easy transport. 
         [0005]    It is another object of this invention to provide a support system for organizing essential dive equipment that will attach within a backpack, or suitcase for long-term transport, e.g., airplane travel. 
         [0006]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a support system for organizing essential dive equipment capable of being transported in a “hands free” manner, thereby allowing the diver to more easily maneuver with his own equipment or assist others in reaching the dive site or boat. 
         [0007]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide a compact support system for organizing essential dive equipment that can be easily stored when not in use. 
         [0008]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide an support system for organizing essential dive equipment that is both water resistant in part and water permeable in part to allow for fresh water cleaning of essential equipment after a lengthy sea dive. The diver can simply dunk the entire assembly in a fresh water tank when he returns to the dive shop after his dive. 
         [0009]    The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]      FIG. 1 . is a front view of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2 . is a side view of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3 . is a back view of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4 . is a front view of the present invention operatively securing dive fins; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5 . is a front view of the present invention, operatively securing dive fins, regulator, and gauge cluster and illustrates a handle attachment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6 . is a side view of the present invention, operatively securing dive fins, regulator, and gauge cluster; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7 . is a perspective view of the present invention operatively securing dive fins, regulator, and gauge cluster; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8 . is a front view of a dive fin; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9 . is a front view of a dive mask and snorkel assembly; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10 . is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating the cradle or stirrup portion of the fin retention strap. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 1-3 , the preferred embodiment of the transportable support system for dive equipment  2  comprises a loop  4  of resilient elasticized polymer cording sized to securely accommodate the distal ends  6  of dive fins  8 (See  FIG. 4 , which has had the D rings removed from strap/buckle assemblies  40  and  42  for visual clarity) by encirclement. Loop  4  is elliptical in shape and has a front face  10  and a back face  12 , which reside on opposite sides of the major axis of loop  4 . Additionally, front face  10  and back face  12  are reinforced and enlarged with a first strip of ballistic nylon  14  and a second strip of ballistic nylon  16  stitchedly attached thereon. First strip  14  and second strip  16  provide the additional surface area and support required for the addition of straps and buckles there from. A carrying D ring  17  is affixed via a carrying strap  18 . Carrying strap  18  is affixed at one end to the front face  10  and at its other end to the back face  12  at their respective mid-points such that carrying D ring  16  resides above the plane of loop  4 . 
         [0021]    Stitchedly attached along the longitudinal axis of second strip  16  is a synthetic dive mesh bag  20  ideal for dive mask  22  and snorkel  24  storage (See  FIGS. 9 and 10 ). Looking at  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that mesh bag  20  is opened and closed via a rectangular flap  26 , which is also stitchedly attached along the longitudinal axis of second strip  16 . Flap  26  can be mechanically affixed to mesh bag  20  via an adjustable side release buckle (not shown) or by various other fastening means, which are well known in the art for the secure storage of items within mesh bag  20 . 
         [0022]    Stitchedly attached at the mid-point of the first strip  14  and second strip  16  and residing perpendicular to both strips  14  and  16  is the adjustable fin retention strap  28 . The fin retention strap  28  is a three piece construction of ballistic nylon with one half of an adjustable, polymer side release buckle  30  stitchedly connected to the free end of a first strap section stitchedly attached at the mid-point of the first strip  14 , and the matingly conformed second half of the buckle slideably retained on the second strap section, by the interweaving of the second strap section through a set of slots formed in the buckle second half. Looking at  FIG. 10 , the second strap forks at a first overlap junction  32  to form a generally diamond shaped cradle  34  which reconnects at a second overlap junction  33  and extends as a single strap that is interwoven through a series of slots formed in a strap lengthening means  31  that is stitchedly attached by a very short third strap to second strip  16 . It should be noted that all of the buckles and strapping arrangements used herein are of the same basic design regardless of their function. 
         [0023]    This diamond shaped cradle configuration (which could also be more elliptical in shape depending on construction) is important for accommodating full-foot dive fins. The area within the cradle  34  creates a pocket or stirrup which the heel portion of the fin resides within, such that the heel portion of the fins are encircled by the diamond shaped cradle  34 . If the diver is using heel-strap fins this configuration is not necessary and the fin retention strap  28  could be a single strap. 
         [0024]    The free end of the second strap section has a D ring sewn thereon to facilitate hand adjustment. The strap lengthening means  31  aides in the centering of the of the cradle  34  about proximal ends  38  of different sized dive fins  8 . 
         [0025]    To help retain fin retention strap  28  in a centered position about the support system&#39;s vertical axis, a strap guide  39  resides centered along the backside (that is the side of mesh bag  20  which opposes flap  26 ) of mesh bag  20 . 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 4-7 , in use, a diver places the distal ends  6  of fins  8  through loop  4  until distal ends  6  of fins  8  abut carrying D ring  17 . At this point the tips of the fins  8  are encircled by loop  4 . The buckle  30  is unfastened and the free end (second strap section) is directed through the toe hole  36  of the fins  8  and around the proximal end  38  of the fins, looping back to buckle  30  for adjustable, secured fastening. Fins  8  are now securely fastened within fin retention strap  28 . 
         [0027]    Looking at  FIG. 7 , it can be seen that fin retention strap  28  is flanked by a first regulator retention strap/buckle assembly  40  and a second regulator retention-strap/buckle assembly  42 , stitchedly affixed by a short length of strapping to first strip  14  and residing perpendicularly to strip  14 . To secure the regulator assembly (that is the high pressure adapter, BCD inflation gauge, gauge cluster, and primary and back-up regulator) hoses  46 , the diver coils the hoses  46 , in a similar fashion as one would store a garden hose or electrical cord, unfastens strap/buckle assemblies  40  and  42  and loops the free end of the assemblies  40  and  42  around the hoses  46  and fastens the strap/buckle assemblies  40  and  42 . The regulator assembly hoses  46  are now securely fastened. For visual clarity, in  FIG. 5-7  only the gauge cluster and regulator are shown. 
         [0028]    The support system  2  can now be securely affixed within a dive bag or suitcase via the carrying D ring  17 , or for a shorter distance, a handle or shoulder strap can be attached via the carrying D ring  17  as would be well known in the art.  FIG. 5  illustrates the present invention with a handle attachment. With a shoulder strap a diver can carry his fins, regulator assembly, mask, and other small items “hands free,” allowing greater maneuverability. Once the dive boat or drop-in site is reached the transportable support system can be rolled up and stored in the smallest of places, and upon return to the dive shop the diver can dunk his mask, fins, and regulator assembly into a fresh water, clean tank without his expensive, personal dive equipment becoming lost amongst the other divers&#39; equipment. 
         [0029]    It should be noted that the preferred method of mechanically affixing the fabric straps via stitching could be accomplished via a variety of different methods, such as such as adhesive bonding, polymer seal welding, pop rivets, or other fastening means. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.